VB 


/!.- 


Jr. 


LIBRAEY 

of  tiu: 

Theological    Seminary, 

PRINCETON,    N.J. 

BR  120  .B35  1939 
Beveridge,  William,  1637- 

1708. 
Private  thoughts 


/ 
P  R  ItY  ATE     T  H  OUG  H  T  S 


RELIGION, 


AND 


A    CHRISTIAN    LIFE 


IN  TWO  PARTS. 


BY   WILLIAM    BEVERIDGE;  D.D. 

LORD    BISHOP    OF    ST.    ASAPH. 


NEW- YORK: 

ROBERT  CARTER,  58,  CANAL-STREET 

1839. 


CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 


THOUGHTS  ON  RELIGION  25 

Art.  I.  I  believe  there  is  one  God,  the  Being  of  all  beings  28 

Art.  II.  I  believe,  that  whatsoever  the  most  high  God  would 
have  me  to  believe  or  do,  in  order  to  his  glory  and  my  happi- 
ness, he  hath  revealed  it  to  me  in  his  holy  Scriptures  31 

Art.  III.  I   believe,  that  as   there  is  one    God,  so  this  one  God  is 
three  persons,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  48 

Art.  IV.  I  believe,  that  I  was  conceived  in  sin,  and  brought 
forth  in  iniquity  ;  and  that  ever  since  I  have  been  continually 
conceiving  mischief,  and  bringing  forth  vanity  50 

Art.  V.  I  believe  the  Son  of  God  became  the  Son  of  man,  that 
I,  the  son  of  man,  might  become  the  son  of  God  51 

Art.  VI.  I  believe,  that  Christ  lived  to  God,  and  died  for  sin, 
that  I  might  die  to  sin,  and  live  with  God  55 

Art.  VII.  I  believe,  that  Christ  rose  from  the  grave,  that  I  might 
rise  from  sin ;  and  that  he  is  ascended  into  heaven,  that  I  may 
come  unto  him  57 

Art.  VIII.  I  believe,  that  my  person  is  only  justified  by  the  merit 
of  Christ  imputed  to  me  ;  and  that  my  nature  is  only  sanctified 
by  the  Spirit  of  Christ  implantedin  me  59 

Art.  IX.  I  believe,  God  entered  into  a  double  covenant  with  man, 
the  covenant  of  works  made  with  the  first,  and  the  covenant 
of  grace  made  in  the  second  Adam  69 

Art.  X.  I  believe,  that  as  God  entered  into  a  covenant  of  grace 
with  us,  so  hath  he  signed  this  covenant  to  us  by  a  double  seal, 
Baptism  and  the  Lord's  Supper  75 

Art.  XI.  I  believe,  that  after  a  short  separation,  my  soul  and  body 
shall  be  united  together  again,  in  order  to  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,  and  be  finally  sentenced  according  to 
my  deserts  82 


viii  Contents. 

Art.  XII.  I  believe,  there  are  two  other  worlds,  besides  this  I  live 
in  ;  a  world  of  misery  for  unrepenting  sinners,  and  a  world  of 
glory  for  believing  saints  B8 


RESOLUTIONS 

FORMED  FROM  THE  FOREGOING  ARTICLES. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  walk  by  rule, 
and  therefore  think  it  necessary  to  resolve  upon  rules  to  walk  by     94 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  make  the  divine 
word  the  rule  of  all  the  rules  I  propose  to  myself  95 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  that  as  I  am  not  able  to  think  or  do  any 
thing  that  is  good,  without  the  influence  of  the  divine  grace  ;  so 
I  will  not  pretend  to  merit  any  favour  from  God,  upon  account 
of  any  thing  I  do  for  his  glory  and  service  9C 


Concerning  my  conversalio7i  in  general. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  make  Christ 
the  pattern  of  my  life  here,  that  so  Christ  may  be  the  portion  of 
my  soul  hereafter  98 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  walk  by  faith, 
and  not  by  sight,  on  earth,  that  so  I  may  live  by  sight,  and  not 
by  faith,  in  heaven  99 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  be  look- 
ing upon  God,  as  always  looking  upon  me  100 


Concerning  my  thouglils. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  watch  as  much 
over  the  inward  motions  of  my  heart,  as  the  outward  actions  of 
my  life  102 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  stop  every 
thought  at  its  first  entering  into  my  heart,  and  to  examine  it, 
whence  it  comes,  and  whither  it  tends  10;] 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  be  as  fearful  to 
let  in  vain,  as  careful  to  keep  out  sinful  thoughts  104 

Resol.  IV.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  be  always  exer- 


Contents. 


IX 


cising  my  thoughts  upon  good  objects,  that  the  devil  may  not 
exercise  them  upon  bad  105 

Resol.  V.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  so  to  marshal  my 
thoughts,  that  they  may  not  one  justle  out  another,  nor  any 
of  them  prejudice  the  business  I  am  about  107 


Concerning  my  affections. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  make  my 
affections  subservient  to  the  dictates  of  my  understanding,  that 
my  reason  may  not  follow,  but  guide  my  affections  109 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  love  God,  as  the 
best  of  goods,  and  to  hate  sin  as  the  worst  of  evils  111 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  assistance  of  divine  grace,  to 
make  God  the  principal  object  of  my  joy,  and  sin  the  principal 
object  of  my  grief  and  sorrow  ;  so  as  to  grieve  for  sin  more  than 
suffering,  and  for  suffering  only  for  sin's  sake  113 

Resol.  IV.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  desire  spiritual 
mercies  more  then  temporal ;  and  temporal  mercies  only  in 
reference  to  spiritual  114 

Resol.  V.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  hope  for  nothing 
so  much  as  the  promises,  and  to  fear  nothing  so  much  as  the 
threatenings,  of  God  116 

Resol.  VI.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  arm  myself  with 
that  spiritual  courage  and  magnanimity,  as  to  press  through  all 
duties  and  difficulties  whatsoever,  for  the  advancement  of  God's 
glory,  and  my  own  happiness  118 

Resol.  VII.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  so  to  be  angry,  as 
not  to  sin,  and,  therefore,  to  be  angry  at  nothing  but  sin  119 


Concerning  my  words. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  never  to  speak  much, 
lest  I  often  speak  too  much  ;  and  not  to  speak  at  all,  rather  than 
to  no  purpose  122 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  not  only  to  avoid 
the  wickedness  of  swearing  falsely,  but  likewise  the  very  appear- 
ance of  swearing  at  all  123 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  make 
my  tongue  and  heart  go  together,  so  as  never  to  speak  with 
the  one,  what  I  do  not  think  in  the  other  125 

Resol.  IV.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  speak  of  other 
men's  sins  only  before  their  faces,  and  of  their  virtues  only 
behind  their  backs  126 

Resol.  V.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  speak 
reverently  to  my  superiors,  humbly  to  my  inferiors,  and  civilly  to 
all  12? 


x  Contents. 

Concerning  my  actions. 

Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  every  thing  in 
obedience  to  the  will  of  God  130 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  every  thing 
with  prudence  and  discretion  as  well  as  with  zeal  and  affection    131 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  never  to  set  my 
hand,  my  head,  or  my  heart,  about  any  thing,  but  what  I  verily 
believe  is  good  in  itself,  and  will  be  esteemed  so  by  God  132 

Resol.  IV.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  all  things 
for  the  glory  of  God  134 

Resol.  V.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  mingle  such 
recreations  with  my  business,  as  to  further  my  business  by  my 
recreations  135 


Concerning  my  relations. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  honour  and  obey 
the  king,  or  prince,  whom  God  is  pleased  to  set  over  me,  as 
well  as  to  expect  he  should  safeguard  and  protect  me,  whom 
God  is  pleased  to  set  under  him  137 

Resol.  II.  i  am  resolved,  by  the  same  divine  grace,  to  be  as  con- 
stant in  loving  my  wife,  as  cautious  in  choosing  her  134 

Resol.  III.  1  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  my  endea- 
vour to  give  to  God  whatsoever  children  he  shall  be  pleased  to 
give  to  me,  that  as  they  are  mine  by  nature,  they  may  be  his  by 
grace  142 

Resol.  IV.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  my  duty 
to  my  servants,  as  well  as  expect  they  should  do  theirs  to 
me  144 

Resol.  V.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  feed  the  flock 
that  God  shall  set  me  over,  with  wholesome  food,  neither  starv- 
ing them  by  idleness,  poisoning  them  with  error,  nor  puffing 
them  up  with  impertinencies  145 

Resol.  VI.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  be  as  faithful 
and  constant  to  my  friend,  as  I  would  have  my  friend  to  be  faith- 
ful and  constant  to  me  148 


Concerning  my  talents. 


Resol.  I.  I  am  resolved,  if  possible,  to  redeem  my  time  past,  by 
using  a  double  diligence  for  the  future,  to  employ  and  improve 
all  the  gifts  and  endowments,  both  of  body  and  mind,  to  the 
glory  and  service  of  my  great  Creator  150 

Resol.  II.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  divine  grace,  to  employ  my  riches, 
the  outward  blessings  of  Providence,   to  the  same  end ;  and  to 


Contents.  F  xi 

observe  such  a  due  medium  in  the  dispensing  of  them,  as  to 
avoid  prodigality  on  the  one  hand,  and  covetousness  on  the 
other  152 

Resol.  III.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  improve  the  au- 
thority God  gives  me  over  others,  to  the  suppression  of  vice,  and 
the  encouragement  of  virtue ;  and  so  for  the  exaltation  of  God's 
name  on  earth,  and  their  souls  in  heaven  154 

Resol.  IV.  lam  resolved,  by  the  divine  grace,  to  improve  the  affec- 
tions God  stirs  up  in  others  towards  me,  to  the  stirring  up  of 
their  affections  towards  God  155 

Resol.  V.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  improve  every 
good  thought  to  the  producing  of  good  affections  in  myself,  and 
as  good  actions  with  respect  to  God  157 

Resol.  VI.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  improve  every 
affliction  God  lays  upon  me,  as  an  earnest  or  token  of  his  affec- 
tion towards  me  158 


PART   II. 

On  the  Education  of  a  Christian. 


THE   advantage  of  being   well-grounded  in  the   Christian  reli- 
gion 167 
The  want  of  this  is  the   occasion  of  so  little  true  religion  among 

us  168 

The  direction  of  the  Church  in  this  behalf,  and  of  God  himself      169 
The  obligation  on  parents  to  observe  it  170 

The  Church  Catechism  most  easy,  and  yet  most  full  and  compre- 
hensive ibid. 
The  necessity  of  being  made  Christians  by  baptism  171 
And  that  for  children  as  well  as  adult  persons                                     ibid. 
The  promise  made   at  baptism  implies  the  necessity  of  Christian 

instruction  172 

The  several  parts  of  that  promise  lead  to  the  knowledge  of  all  the 
rest  of  the  Catechism,  viz.  of  the  Creed,  Ten  Commandments, 
Lord's  Prayer,  and  doctrine  of  the  Sacraments  ibid. 

Directions  for  instructing  children  in  this  Catechism  173 

They  must  begin  with  them  betimes  ibid. 

Employ  others  to  teach  them,  if  they  cannot  do  it  themselves  175 

When  taught  tire  Catechism,  send  them,  for   further   instruction, 

to  the  minister  ibid. 

The  great  obligation  upon  parents  to  instruct  their  children  177 

Abraham's  care,  in  this  respect,  rewarded,  and  Eli's  neglect  pun- 
ished ibid. 
The  advantage  of  it  to  themselves,  and  to  their  children  178 
An  exhortation  to  it  179 


On  the  Knowledge  of  God. 

Though  all  men  agree   about   religion  in  general,  yet  they  differ 

about  nothing  more  than  the  particular  exercise  of  it  180 

Our  form  of  worship  incomparably  the  best  181 

To  serve  God  aright,  it  is  necessary  to  know  that  Cod  whom  we 

are  to  serve  182 

To  know  that  he  is  ibid. 

And  what  he  is,  both  in  himself  183 

And  to  us  ibid. 

To  know  all  his  attributes  ibid. 

All  his  works  ibid. 

To  know  that  in  the  one  Godhead  there  are  Three  Persons  184 


Contents.  x'm 

Our  knowledge  of  God  must  be  also  practical  and  experimental      184 

That  all  this  knowledge  is  necessary  towards  serving  God  aright    185 

The  error  of  the  Church  of  Rome   in  this  particular  186 

Arguments  to  induce  us  to  seek  after  this  knowledge  ibid. 

How  we  ought  to  serve  God  538 

What  it  is  to  serve  him  189 

Mistakes  about  this  ibid. 

We  must  serve  him  with  all  we  are  ibid. 

And  with  all  we  have  ibid. 

Pay  him  sincere  and  universal  obedience  190 
We  must  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  with  a  willing  mind     192 

For  what  reason  we  ought  thus  to  serve  God  193 

An  exhortation  to  it  194 


On  the  Mystery  of  the  Trinity. 

It  is  impossible  to  be  truly  religious  without  knowing  God  197 

Which  we  cannot  do  truly  but  by  the  light  of  revelation  198 

Which   alone  discovers  to  us  the  mystery  of  the  Trinity  ibid. 

Into  which  our  Saviour  commands  all  nations  to  be  baptized  ibid. 

Where  we  must  consider  the  work  he  sends  his  apostles  about  199 

What  is  meant  by  teaching  ibid. 

The  mistake  of  which  occasioned  the  sect  of  the  Anabaptists  200 

Our  Saviour  speaks  not  of  teaching  before  baptism,  but  after  it  ibid. 
So  that  infant  baptism  is  commanded  in  those  very  words,  which 

are  pretended  to  forbid  it  ibid. 

The  large  extent  of  the  commission  here  given  201 
Not  understood  by  the  apostles  themselves,  till  interpreted  from 

heaven  ibid. 

The  manner  of  admitting  all  nations  into  Christ's  church  202 

The  church  always  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Three  Persons  203 
The  Trinity  of  Persons  proved  from  the  Scriptures,  both  of  the 

Old  Testament  ibid. 

And  especially  of  the  New  204 

The  Godhead  of  each  Person  205 

Particularly  of  the  Son  206 

Who  otherwise  could  not  be  our  Saviour  ibid. 

And  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ibid. 

The  order  of  the  Three  Persons  208 

Why  the  Father  is  the  first  209 

Why  the  Son  is  tbe  second  ibid. 

Why  the  Holy  Ghost  is  the  third  210 

His  procession  from  the  Son  211 

Inferences  from  the  whole  ibid. 

The  conclusion  213 


On  Worldly  Riches.    Sect.  1. 

Why  Christians,  notwithstanding  the  excellency  of  their  religion, 

lead  as  bad  lives  as  other  men  215 

This  cannot  be  owing  to  any  defect  in  the  Gospel  216 

B 


xiv  Contents. 

But  proceeds  from  being  too  much  concerned   for  the  things  of 

this  world  '    217 

The  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil  ibid. 

Where  by  money  the  apostle  means  the  things  of  this  world  218 

In  what  the  love  of  these  things  consists  ibid. 

How  it  is  the  root  of  all  evil  219 
Of  all  the  evil  of  which  we  are  guilty,  viz.  of  sins  of  omission     ibid. 

And  commission  221 

Of  all  the  evil  which  we  suffer  in  this  life  223 

And  fear  in  the  next  224 
Directions  for  taking  off  our  affections  from  the  things  of  this 

world  225 


On  Worldly  Riches.     Sect.  2. 

Timothy  first  Bishop  of  the  province  of  Ephesus  227 

He  and  all  ministers  enjoined  to  preach  with  authority  ibid. 

To  charge  not  only  the  poor,  but  the  rich  231 

Whom  the  apostle  means  by  them  that  are  rich  ibid. 

Why  they  are  to  be  charged  not  to  be  high-minded  232 

Why  not  to  trust  in  uncertain  riches  233 

What  good  they  are  enjoined  to  do  234 

Works  of  piety  towards  God  235 

Works  of  charity  towards  the  poor  236 

And  to  be  rich  in  good  works  237 

Which  are  our  principal  riches  ibid. 

Ready  to  distribute  238 

Willing  to  communicate  ibid. 

The  reward  promised  to  this  duty  239 


On  Self-Denial. 

The  introduction  242 

Mistaken  notions  about  Christianity  243 

How  to  know  what  it  is  to  be  a  true  Christian  244 

It  is  not  so  easy  to  be  as  some  imagine  ibid. 

They  that  will  be  such  must  deny  themselves  ibid. 
Deny  their  reason  in  matters   of  divine   revelation,  which  are 

above  it  245 
Their  wills  in  submission  to  God's  246 
And  their  affections  248 
And  the  enjoyment  of  their  estates,  when  they  come  in  compe- 
tition with  their  duty  ibid. 
They  must  deny  themselves  in  those  sins  and  lusts  they  are  used 

indulge  249 

And  must  renounce  their  own  righteousness  ibid. 

Which  will  not  justify,  but  rather  condemn  250 

Why  we  must  thus  deny  ourselves  252 

We  must  also  take  up  the  cross  253 

Which  they  only  do  who  suffer  for  conscience  254 

The  reasonableness  of  this  duty  255 

An  exhortation  to  it  256 


Contents.  xv 
On  striving  to  enter  at  the  strait  gate. 

All  must  expect  ere  long  to  be  in  another  world  250 

Either  of  endless  happiness  ibid. 

Or  of  eternal  misery  259 

Our  Saviour's  direction  in  this  case  260 

The  way  to  misery  is  broad  and  easy  ibid. 

That  to  happiness  narrow  and  difficult  ibid. 

It  implies  the  forsaking  of  all  sin  262 

The  performance  of  many  hard  duties  "263 

Yet  it  is  worth  striving  to  obtain  it  26.3 

For  though  hard,  yet  it  is  possible  266 

We  are  invited  to  it  by  God  himself  267 

Who  affords  us  all  necessary  means  to  obtain  it  263 

The  difficulties  will  soon  be  over  ibid. 

Heaven  will  make  amends  for  all  269 

In  order  hereto  we  must  first  resolve  ibid. 

And  then  set  upon  a  new  life  270 

Depending  entirely  on  the  merits  of  Christ  27 1 

Praying  for  the  assistance  of  his  grace  ibid. 

And  waiting  his  answer  to  our  prayers  ibid. 


On  the  Imitation  of  Christ. 

Christ  came  into  tho  world  to  save  sinners  273 

Paying,  by  his  death,  the  debts  we  owed  to  God  274 

Giving  us  a  pattern  of  holiness  in  his  life  ibid. 

More  perfect  than  any  before  or  since  275 

Which  we  are  bound  to  follow  ibid. 

But  we  must  not  presume  to  follow  Christ  in  what  he  did  as  God  276 
Nor  in  what  he  did  as  God-man  277 

But  only  in  what  he  did  as  mere  man  ibid. 

Both  in  his  behaviour  towards  men  273 

In  his  duty  to  his  parents  ibid. 

And  to  his  governors  ibid. 

In  his  meekness  towards  all  men  279 

In  his  bounty  and  goodness  to  all,  even  to  his  enemies  ibid. 

And  in  his  piety  towards  God  280 

Increasing  in  wisdom  as  in  stature  281 

Though  as  man  his  knowledge  was  finite,  yet  that  implies  no  im- 
perfection or  sin  ibid. 
Such  ignorance  is  no  sin  282 
But  only  the  ignorance  of  what  we  ought  to  know                             ibid. 
At  least  we  should  thus  increase  in  godly  wisdom,  when  grown  up  ibid. 
Teach  our  children  after  Christ's  example                                           ibid. 
Who,  as  he  grew  in  godly  wisdom  when  a  child,   also  used  that 
wisdom  when  grown  up,  and  devoted  himself  wholly  to  the  ser- 
vice of  God                                                                                           ibid. 
His  resignation  to  God's  will,  love  of  him,  zeal  for  him,  trust  in 

him,  were  alone  most  exemplary  284 

So  were  also  his  external  acts  of  devotion,  frequently  retiring  to 

pray  ibid. 

Frequenting  the  synagogue  on  the  sabbath  285 

An  exhortation  to  follow  Christ  280 


xvi  Contents. 

On  our  call  and  election. 

Many  called  but  few  chosen,  a  hard  saying  28f 

The  Jews  rejecting  Christ's  invitation,  the  Gentiles  are  called  286* 

What  is  meant  by  being-  called  290 

We  are  called  from  darkness  to  light  ibid. 

From  superstition  and  idolatry  to  the  true  worship  291 

From  sin  unto  holiness  ibid. 

From  temporal  things  to  eternal  292 

From  misery  to  happiness  ibid. 

God  hath  called  some  by  immediate  revelations  292 

He  calls  all  by  his  works  and  providences  ibid. 

But  our  Saviour  means  his  call  by  the  ministry  of  his  word  ibid. 

That  many  have  been  and  are  thus  called  295 

But  few  chosen  296 

Not  absolutely  but  comparatively  few  ibid. 

Only  such  as  do  God's  will  298 

No  atheistical  persons  299 

None  that  are  ignorant  of  the  principles  of  religion  ibid. 

On  the  appearance  of  Christ  the  Sun  of  righteousness. 

Why  the  Scripture  represents  spiritual  things  by  sensible  objects  313 

As  Christ's  coming  by  the  rising  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  314 

To  burn  up  the  wicked  ibid. 
But  with  healing  in  his  wings  to  such  as  fear  God,  that  is,  to  all 

true  believers  315 

This  Sun  is  the  object  only  of  our  faith  ibid. 

He  gives  some  light  before  his  rising  316 

Christ  is  often  foretold  under  this  emblem  ibid. 
Is  properly  styled   the  Sun,  with  respect  both  to  what  he  is  in 

himself  318 

And  to  what  he  is  to  us,  the  fountain  of  our  light  and  of  our  life  319 

Who  by  nature  are  dead  in  sin  321 

And  of  all  our  joy  and  comfort  322 

Of  our  fruitfulness  in  good  works  323 
Which  received  all  their  lustre  from  the  reflection  of  his  righ- 
teousness, as  colours  owe  their  being  to  the  reflection  of  the  sun   324 

This   Sun  of  righteousness  thus  displayed  325 

By  a  lively  faith  ibid, 
VVould  have  a  great  influence  on  the  holiness  and  happiness  of  our 

lives  ibid, 


PRIVATE  THOUGHTS 


UPON 


RELIGION, 


DIGESTED    INTO 


TWELVE    ARTICLES; 


WITH 


PRACTICAL    RESOLUTIONS    FORMED    THEREUPON. 


PART  I. 


By  WILLIAM  BEVERIDGE,  D.  D, 


LORD    BISHOP    OF    ST.    ASAPH. 


Written  in  his  Younger  years,  for  the  settling  of  his  Principles,  and 
Conduct  of  his  Life. 


B  2 


THE 


PREFACE 


After  so  great  a  name  as  that  of  Bishop  Beveridge  in  the 
title,  it  were  as  superfluous  to  attempt  any  farther  recommen- 
dation of  these  papers,  as  it  would  be  impossible  to  effect  it. 
If  any  thing  can  add  to  the  esteem  they  must  every  where 
meet  with,  upon  the  account  of  so  great  an  author,  it  must 
be  a  serious  perusal  and  application  of  them. 

Those  that  read  them  with  the  same  spirit  of  candour,  with 
which  this  great  man  always  read  the  works  of  others,  and 
with  the  same  spirit  of  piety,  with  which  he  wrote  his  own, 
will  undoubtedly  discover  in  them  such  a  lively  idea  of  the 
great  genius  of  the  author,  and  so  sensibly  experience  the  good 
influence  of  them  upon  their  minds,  as  will  more  effectually 
engage  their  approbation,  than  the  highest  encomiums  from 
another  hand. 

The  great  misfortune  is,  that  those  who  have  most  need  to 
be  instructed  and  reformed,  have  no  true  taste  or  relish  for 
books  of  this  nature :  their  eyes  are  dazzled  with  the  glittering 
appearances  of  the  objects  of  sense,  and  their  hearts  enslaved 
to  the  works  of  darkness ;  so  that  the  beams  of  divine  light 
are  but  troublesome  and  offensive  to  them  :  every  point  of 
faith  is  a  contradiction  to  their  principles,  and  every  precept 
enjoined  a  reproach  to  their  morals.  And,  therefore,  in  order 
to  stave  off  those  self-condemning  thoughts,  that  naturally  a- 
rise  from  the  serious  perusal  of  such  sort  of  treatises,  they 
scoff  at  and  despise  them,  as  dull  and  insipid  ;  not  worth  the 
consideration  of  men  of  more  refined  parts  and  deeper  pene- 
tration, who  are  too  wise  to  be  guided  by  the  rule  of  God's 
word,  and  too  obstinate  to  be  persuaded  to  walk  in  any  other 
path,  but  that  which  the  devil  has  chalked  out  for  them,  the 
path  that  leads  to  destruction. 


xx  PREFACE. 

But  these  men  would  do  well  to  consider,  before  they  are 
wholly  under  the  power  of  delusion,  that  this  is  not  really  ow- 
ing to  any  flaws  or  defects  in  such  performances,  but  to  their 
own  reprobate  minds  and  depraved  judgments,  which  tarnish 
the  beauty,  cast  a  mist  before  the  truth,  frustrate  the  influence, 
and  pervert  the  design  of  them  ;  like  a  vitiated  palate,  which  nau- 
seates the  most  delicious  tastes  ;  or  a  foul  and  disordered  stom- 
ach, that  turns  the  most  wholesome  food  into  poison  and  cor- 
ruption. So  that  they  must  first  divest  themselves  of  their  lust 
and  pride,  their  prejudice  and  partiality,  before  they  can  ever 
expect  to  reap  any  benefit  or  advantage  by  this,  or  any  other 
discourses,  that  tend  to  the  promoting  of  piety  and  religion. 

Having  thus  opened  the  way  to  the  reading  of  this  book,  it 
may  not  be  improper,  in  order  to  set  it  in  its  true  light,  and 
do  justice  to  the  author  of  it,  to  say  something  more  particu- 
larly concerning  both ;  and  to  advertise  the  reader,  that  the 
following  sheets  were  writ  by  the  Bishop  in  his  younger  years, 
upon  his  first  entrance  into  holy  orders.  And  though  they  may 
not,  perhaps,  be  so  perfect  and  correct,  as  if  he  himself  had 
lived  to  give  the  finishing  stroke  to  them,  and  fit  them  for  the 
press  with  his  own  hand  ;  yet,  as  the  roughness  of  a  jewel  doth 
not  lessen  the  worth  and  value  of  it,  when  the  brightness  of 
its  natural  lustre,  even  under  that  disadvantage,  outshines 
that  of  others,  which  are  polished  and  refined  by  art ;  so,  it  is 
to  be  hoped,  the  candid  and  judicious  reader  will,  in  this  well- 
designed  piece,  however  unfinished,  discover  such  singular  beau- 
ties and  graces,  as  few  others,  even  at  the  highest  pitch  of  their 
attainments,  and  with  the  utmost  care  and  diligence,  are  able 
to  come  up  to. 

As  to  the  author's  design  in  writing  these  papers,  it  is  suffi- 
ciently set  forth  in  the  title  of  them.  He  considered,  that 
truth  of  doctrine,  and  innocency  of  life,  were  both  absolutely 
necessary  to  the  due  exercise  of  the  sacred  function,  which  he 
had  the  honour  and  happiness  to  be  admitted  into.  He  knew 
the  power  of  example  to  prevail  even  beyond  that  of  precept, 
and  was  very  solicitous,  with  the  blessed  apostle,  to  make  hit 
own  calling  and  election  sure,  lest  that  by  any  means,  when  he 
had  preached  to  others,  he  himself  should  be  a  cast-away.  To 
the  end,  therefore,  that  he  might  both  save  himself,  and  them 
that  heard  him,  that  both  by  his  life  and  doctrine,  he  might 
set  forth  the  glory  of  God,  and  set  forward  the  salvation  of 
men,  he  drew  up  these  Articles,  to  settle  his  principles  in 
point  of  faith,  and  formed  these  Resolutions  upon  them,  to 
regulate  his  actions  with  regard  to  practice. 

What  great  things  might  not  the  Church  promise  herself 


FKifiFAUlS.  XXI 

from  a  foundation  so  well  laid  ?  from  principles  settled  with  so 
much  learning  and  judgment,  and  resolutions  formed  upon 
such  strict  rules  of  piety  and  religion  ?  What  glorious  expec- 
tations in  an  age  of  that  degeneracy  of  faith  and  manners, 
Avherein  he  then  lived,  might  not  be  justly  raised  from  hence, 
for  the  future  reformation  of  both  ? 

And,  indeed,  this  excellent  person  did  even  more  than  satis- 
fy all  these  extraordinary  hopes,  which  the  early  and  ample 
specimens  he  gave  of  his  virtue  and  knowledge  had  made  the 
world  conceive  of  him.  For  having  taken  this  prudent  and 
effectual  care  to  ground  and  determine  his  own  faith  and  prac- 
tice ;  and  being  ever  mindful  of  that  injunction  laid  upon  him, 
when  he  was  ordained  priest,  "  To  consider  the  end  of  his 
ministry  towards  the  children  of  God,  towards  the  spouse  and 
body  of  Christ ;  he  never  ceased  his  labour,  care,  and  dili- 
gence, until  he  had  done  all  that  in  him  lay,"  (as  our  holy 
Church  does  most  admirably  express  the  duty  of  that  order,) 
"  to  bring  all  such  as  were  committed  to  his  charge,  unto  that 
agreement  in  the  faith  and  knowledge  of  God,  and  to  that  ripe- 
ness and  perfectness  of  age  in  Christ,  that  there  should  be  no 
place  left  among  them  for  error  in  religion,  or  for  viciousnesg 
in  life:' 

While  his  care  of  souls  was  chiefly  confined  to  the  bounds 
of  a  single  parish,  with  what  labour  and  zeal  did  he  apply  him- 
self to  the  discharge  of  his  ministry,  in  the  several  parts  and 
oflices  of  it  ?  How  powerful  and  instructive  was  he  in  his  dis- 
courses from  the  pulpit  ?  How  warm  and  affectionate  in  his 
private  exhortations  ?  How  orthodox  in  his  doctrine  ?  How 
regular  and  uniform  in  the  public  worship  of  the  church  ?  In 
a  word,  so  zealous  was  he,  and  heavenly-minded,  in  all  the 
spiritual  exercises  of  his  parochial  function,  and  his  labours 
were  so  remarkably  crowned  with  blessing  and  success,  that 
as  he  himself  was  justly  styled,  the  great  reviver  and  restorer 
of  primitive  piety ;  so  his  parish  was  deservedly  proposed,  as 
the  best  model  and  pattern,  for  the  rest  of  its  neighbours  to 
copy  after. 

Nor  was  the  Archdeacon,  or  the  Bishop,  less  vigilant  than 
the  Parish-Priest :  his  care  and  diligence  increased  as  his  pow- 
er in  the  church  was  enlarged  ;  and  as  he  had  before  discharg- 
ed the  duty  of  a  faithful  pastor  over  his  single  fold,  so  when 
his  authority  was  extended  to  larger  districts,  he  still  pursued 
the  same  pious  and  laborious  methods  of  advancing  the  honour 
and  interest  of  religion,  by  watching  over  both  clergy  and 
laity,  and  giving  them  all  necessary  direction  and  assistance 
for  the  effectual  performance  of  their  respective  duties, 


xxii  PREFACE. 

Accordingly,  he  was  no  sooner  advanced  to  the  episcopal 
chair,  but  in  a  most  pathetic  and  obliging  letter  to  the  clergy 
of  his  diocese,  he  recommended  to  them  "  the  duty  of  cate- 
chising and  instructing  the  people  committed  to  their  charge, 
in  the  principles  of  the  Christian  religion  ;  to  the  end  they 
might  know  what  they  were  to  believe,  and  do,  in  order  to 
salvation  :"  and  told  them,  "  he  thought  it  necessary  to  begin 
with  that,  without  which  whatever  else  he  or  they  should  do, 
would  turn  to  little  or  no  account,  as  to  the  main  end  of  the 
ministry."  And  to  enable  them  to  do  this  the  more  effectually, 
he  sent  them  a  plain  and  easy  Exposition  upon  the  Church 
Catechism ;  of  which  I  need  say  nothing  more,  and  can  say 
nothing  greater,  than  that  it  was  drawn  up  by  himself  in  a 
method,  which,  in  the  opinion  of  so  great  a  judge,  seemed, 
of  all  others,  the  most  proper  to  instruct  the  people. 

Thus  endeavouring  to  make  himself  and  others  every  day 
wiser  and  better,  labouring  to  establish  sound  principles,  and 
settle  good  manners  wherever  he  came,  as  it  was  the  founda- 
tion which  this  holy  man  laid  in  these  Articles  and  Resolutions ; 
so  we  see  it  was  the  great  work  of  his  life  to  build  upon  it ;  as 
might  easily  be  made  appear,  from  a  faithful  and  particular 
relation  of  the  several  stages  and  passages  of  it,  during  the 
course  of  his  ministry  ;  the  bare  enumeration  of  which  would 
swell  this  Preface  into  a  book.  That  fair  portrait  will,  I  hope, 
be  drawn  by  some  abler  pen. 

In  the  mean  time  there  is  yet  another  instance  of  his  great 
concern  and  unwearied  endeavours  for  the  establishing  of 
sound  doctrine,  which  I  must  not  omit  the  mention  of;  because 
it  is  a  work  of  so  much  affinity  with  these  Articles,  and  what 
the  reader  may,  with  great  advantage,  have  recourse  to,  for 
farther  satisfaction  upon  these  general  heads  of  divinity,  which 
he  has  here  given  us  only  in  abridgment ;  it  is  his  learned  Ex- 
position upon  the  Thirty-nine  Articles,  which  is  promised  in  a 
short  time  to  be  committed  to  the  press  ;  and  which  is  the  more 
earnestly  desired  and  expected,  as  being  a  performance,  which 
the  church,  at  this  time,  so  much  wants,  and  which  he,  be- 
yond others,  was,  in  such  an  extraordinary  manner,  qualified 
for. 

Such  discourses  as  these,  the  one  giving  a  true  exposition  of 
the  doctrine  of  our  church,  the  other  endeavouring  to  estab- 
lish it  by  an  orthodox  faith,  and  an  unspotted  life,  were  never 
more  seasonable  than  in  this  age  ;  when  the  very  being  of  the 
church  is  called  in  question,  under  a  pretence  of  maintaining  her 
rights  ;  and  the  principles  of  Christianity  are  no  longer  secret- 
ly undermined,  but  openly  attacked  ;  when  books  are  publish* 


FKEI'ACE.  xxiii 

ed  against  all  revealed  religion,  and  deism  insults  and  triumphs 
barefaced,  without  restraint,  without  reproach.  In  a  word, 
when  we  are  arrived  to  that  dissoluteness  of  manners,  as  well 
as  principles,  that  persons  of  the  highest  quality  and  station 
are  addressed  in  print,  as  patrons  of  libertinism  ;  and  that 
which  has  in  all  ages  been  called  and  esteemed  the  greatest 
wisdom,  is  scoffed  at  by  false  wit ;  and  Christianity,  under  the 
notion  of  enthusiasm,  exposed  to  the  contempt  of  the  meanest 
capacities,  and  hooted  out  of  the  world  by  the  very  dregs  of 
the  people. 

In  so  general  an  inundation  of  profaneness  and  licentious- 
ness, Providence  seemed  indeed  to  have  raised  up  this  great 
and  good  man  to  stand  in  the  gap,  and  stem  the  tide  against 
it :  but  where  the  torrent  is  so  impetuous,  and  the  forces,  that 
should  unite  in  striving  to  divert  it,  so  weak  and  pusillanimous, 
there  is  more  danger  the  very  opposers  should  be  borne 
down  the  stream,  than  there  are  hopes  of  making  good  the 
opposition.  But,  however  the  doctrine  and  discipline  of  our 
church  may  be  misrepresented,  exploded,  and  despised,  and 
our  holy  religion  become  only  a  name,  which  is  almost  every 
where  spoken  against ;  this  good  Bishop  will,  nevertheless, 
have  the  honour,  as  he  already  enjoys  the  reward,  not  only 
of  bearing  testimony  against  the  growing  ill,  but  of  having 
done  all  that  he  could  (and  who  could  do  more  than  he  1)  to 
restrain  and  subdue  it. 

It  may,  perhaps,  be  thought  a  bad  omen  to  our  church,  to 
have  lost  so  able  a  champion,  when  she  seems  to  stand  so  much 
in  need  of  him.  But,  blessed  be  God,  we  have  not  altogether 
lost  him  :  he  has  left  us  behind  him,  in  these  excellent  papers, 
(to  say  nothing  of  his  sermons,  and  other  incomparable  writ- 
ings,) such  clear  reasoning,  and  convincing  arguments  for 
the  grounding  of  our  principles,  and  such  useful  rules  and  di- 
rections for  the  government  of  our  conversation,  that  we  may 
yet  hope  for  a  happy  reformation  in  both,  if  we  are  not  want- 
ing to  ourselves  in  the  use  and  application  of  them. 

Would  the  clergy,  the  younger  sort  especially,  take  this 
method,  upon  their  first  admission  into  holy  orders,  (and 
it  ought  to  be  no  hard  matter  to  persuade  them  to  it,  since  it  is 
the  very  end  and  design  of  their  ministry,)  it  could  not  fail,  by 
the  blessing  of  God,  of  producing  very  admirable  effects. 
Their  principles  thus  prudently  settled,  would  stand  the  shock, 
even  of  a  fiery  trial ;  and  their  resolutions  thus  maturely  formed, 
would  undauntedly  bear  up  against  the  most  powerful  tempta- 
tions. 

This,  if  any  thing,  would  raise  the  dignity  of  the  priesthood 


xxiv  PREFACE. 

to  its  first  institution,  silence  all  the  loud  clamours,  as  well  as 
malicious  whispers,  that,  like  echoes,  are  redoubled  and  rever- 
berated upon  them  ;  and  gain  them  such  an  interest  and  repu- 
tation among  the  people,  and  such  an  honour  and  authority  in 
the  discharge  of  their  function,  that  from  reverencing  the  per- 
son, and  commending  the  pattern,  they  Avould  insensibly  pro- 
ceed to  the  imitation  of  it ;  till,  by  degrees,  the  flock  too,  as 
well  as  the  shepherd,  would  become  icise  to  sali'ation,  would 
devoutly  sanctify  the  Lord  God  in  their  hearts ;  and  not  only  so, 
but  be  ready  always  to  give  an  answer  to  every  one  that  should 
ask  them  a  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them. 

And  were  both  clergy  and  laity  thus  rightly  principled,  and 
firmly  resolved,  the  enemies  of  our  Zion  would  have  both  less 
encouragement  to  attack,  and  less  power  to  hurt  us  ;  our  na- 
tional church  might  then  despise  all  the  wicked  attempts  and 
designs  that  are  daily  made  and  formed  against  her,  and  as- 
sume to  herself  that  comfortable  promise  and  assurance,  that 
our  Saviour  himself  has  given,  that  even  the  gates  of  hell 
shall  never  be  able  to  prevail  against  her. 

All  that  I  have  farther  to  say,  is  only  to  apologize  for  having 
said  so  much,  upon  a  subject  that  so  little  needs  it ;  and  to 
close  the  whole  with  my  hearty  prayers  to  the  throne  of  grace, 
that  this  pious  and  excellent  book  may  meet  with  that  desired 
c  fFect  and  success,  which  the  author  aimed  at  in  the  composing 
of  it,  and  may  be  as  useful  to  others,  as  it  was  to  himself. 


THOUGHTS 


RELIGION. 


WHEN  in  my  serious  thoughts  and  more  retired  meditations  I 
am  got  into  the  closet  of  my  heart,  and  there  begin  to  look 
within  myself,  and  consider  what  I  am,  I  presently  find  myself 
to  be  a  reasonable  creature ;  for,  was  I  not  so,  it  would  be  im- 
possible for  me  thus  to  reason  and  reflect.  But,  am  I  a  reason- 
able creature  ?  Why  then  I  am  sure  within  this  veil  of  flesh 
there  dwells  a  soul,  and  that  of  a  higher  nature  than  either 
plants  or  brutes  are  endued  with  ;  for  they  have  souls  indeed, 
but  yet  they  know  it  not ;  and  that  because  their  souls  or  ma- 
terial forms  (as  the  philosophers  term  them)  are  not  any  thing 
really  and  essentially  distinct  from  the  very  matter  of  their 
bodies  ;  which  being  not  capable  of  a  reflexive  act,  though 
they  are,  they  know  it  not,  and  though  they  act,  they  know  it 
not ;  it  being  not  possible  for  them  to  look  within  themselves, 
or  to  reflect  upon  their  own  existences  and  actions.  But  it  is 
not  so  with  me  ;  I  not  only  know  I  have  a  soul,  but  that  I  have 
such  a  soul  which  can  consider  of  itself,  and  deliberate  of  every 
particular  action  that  issues  from  it.  Nay,  I  can  consider  that 
I  am  now  considering  of  my  own  actions,  and  can  reflect  upon 
myself  reflecting  ;  insomuch  that  had  I  nothing  else  to  do,  I 
could  spin  out  one  reflection  upon  another  to  infinity. 

And  indeed  was  there  never  another  argument  in  the  world 
to  convince  me  of  the  spiritual  nature  of  my  soul,  this  alone 
would  be  sufficient  to  wrest  the  belief  and  confession  of  it  from 
me  :  for,  what  below  a  spirit  can  thus  reflect  upon  itself?  or, 
what  below  a  spirit  can  put  forth  itself  into  such  actions,  as  I 
find  I  can  exercise  myself  in  ?  My  soul  can,  in  a  moment,  mount 
from  earth  to  heaven,  fly  from  pole  to  pole,  and  view  all  the 
courses  and  motions  of  the  celestial  bodies,  the  sun,  moon,  and 
stars  ;  and  then  the  next  moment,  returning  to  myself  again,  I 

C 


26  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

can  consider  where  I  have  been,  what  glorious  objects  have 
been  presented  to  my  view,  and  wonder  at  the  nimbleness 
and  activity  of  my  soul,  that  can  run  over  so  many  millions  of 
miles,  and  finish  so  great  a  work,  in  so  small  a  space  of  time. 
And  are  such-like  acts  as  these  the  effects  of  drossy  earth,  or 
impenetrable  matter  ?  can  any  thing  below  a  spirit  raise  itself 
so  much  beyond  the  reach  of  material  actions  ? 

But  stay  a  little  ;  what  is  this  soul  of  mine  that  I  am  now 
speaking  of,  that  it  is  so  nimble  in  its  actions,  and  so  spiritual  in 
its  nature  ?  Why,  it  is  that  which  actuates  and  informs  the 
several  organs  and  members  of  my  body,  and  enables  me  not 
only  to  perform  the  natural  actions  of  life  and  sense,  but  like- 
wise to  understand,  consult,  argue,  and  conclude  ;  to  will  and 
nill,  hope  and  despair,  desire  and  abhor,  joy  and  grieve,  love 
and  hate  ;  to  be  angry  now,  and  again  appeased.  It  is  that 
by  which,  at  this  very  time,  my  head  is  inditing,  my  hand  is 
writing,  and  my  heart  resolving,  what  to  believe,  and  how  to 
practise.  In  a  word  my  soul  is  myself;  and  therefore  when 
I  speak  of  my  soul,  I  speak  of  no  other  person  but  myself. 

Not  as  if  I  totally  excluded  this  earthly  substance  of  my  body 
from  being  a  part  of  myself ;  I  know  it  is.  But  I  think  it  most 
proper  and  reasonable  to  denominate  myself  from  my  better 
part :  for,  alas  !  take  away  my  soul,  and  my  body  falls,  on 
course,  into  its  primitive  corruption,  and  moulders  into  the 
dust,  from  whence  it  was  first  taken.  Alljicsh  is  grass,  says 
the  prophet,  and  all  the  goodliness  thereof  is  as  the  flower  of 
the  field.  And  this  is  no  metaphorical  expression,  but  a  real 
truth  ;  for  what  is  that  which  I  feed  upon,  but  merely  grass, 
digested  into  corn,  flesh,  and  the  like,  which,  by  a  second  di- 
gestion, is  transfused  and  converted  into  the  substance  of  my 
body  ?  And  hence  it  is  that  my  body  is  but  like  the  grass,  or  flow- 
er of  the  field,  fading,  transient,  and  momentary,  to-day  flou- 
rishing in  all  its  glory,  to-morrow  cut  down,  dried  up,  and  with- 
ered. But  now,  how  far  is  this  beneath  the  spiritual  and  in- 
corruptible nature  of  my  immortal  soul  ?  which  subsists  of  it- 
self, and  can  never  be  dissolved  ;  being  not  compounded  of 
any  earthly  or  elementary  matter,  as  the  body  is,  but  is  a  pure 
spiritual  substance,  infused  into  me  by  God,  to  whom,  after  a 
short  abode  in  the  body,  it  is  to  return,  and  to  live  and  con- 
tinue for  ever,  either  in  a  state  of  happiness  or  misery  in 
another  life. 

But  must  it  so  indeed  ?  How  much  then  does  it  concern 
me  seriously  to  bethink  myself,  where  I  had  best  to  lead  this 
everb=f:> ig  life,  in  the  heavenly  mansions  of  eternal  glory,  or 
else  in  the  dreadful  dungeon  of  infernal  misery  ?     But  betwixt 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  27 

these,  as  there  is  no  medium,  so  there  is  no  comparison ;  and, 
therefore,  I  shall  not  put  it  to  the  question,  which  place  to 
choose  to  live  in  :  but,  without  giving  the  other  that  honour  to 
stand  in  competition  with  it,  I  this  morning,  with  the  leave  of 
the  most  high  God,  do  choose  the  land  of  Canaan,  the  king- 
dom of  heaven,  to  be  the  lot  of  mine  inheritance,  the  only 
seat  of  bliss  and  glory  for  my  soul  to  rest  and  dwell  in  to  all 
eternity. 

But  heaven,  they  say,  is  a  place  hard  to  come  at ;  yea,  the 
King  of  that  glorious  place  hath  told  me,  that  strait  is  the 
gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way,  that  leads  to  eternal  life,  and 
that  there  be  but  few  that  find  it,  Matth.  vii.  14.  yea,  and  that 
many  shall  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able,  Luke  iii.  24. 
What,  therefore,  must  I  do  ?  Why,  I  must  either  resolve  to 
make  it  my  whole  business  to  get  to  heaven,  or  else  I  must 
never  hope  or  expect  to  come  thither.  Without  any  further 
dispute  therefore  about  it,  I  resolve  at  this  time,  in  the  pre- 
sence of  Almighty  God,  that,  from  this  day  forward,  I  will 
make  it  my  whole  business  here  upon  earth  to  look  after  my 
happiness  in  heaven,  and  to  walk  circumspectly  in  those  bles- 
sed paths  that  God  hath  appointed  all  to  walk  in  that  ever  ex- 
pect to  come  to  him. 

Now,  though  there  be  but  one  way,  and  that  a  narrow  one 
too,  that  leads  to  heaven,  yet  there  are  two  things  requisite  to 
all  those  that  walk  in  it ;  and  they  are,  faith  and  obedience, 
to  believe  and  to  live  aright.  So  that  it  as  much  behooves  me 
to  have  my  faith  rightly  confirmed  in  the  fundamentals  of  reli- 
gion, as  to  have  my  obedience  exactly  conformed  to  the  laws 
of  God.  And  these  two  duties  are  so  inseparably  united,  that 
the  former  cannot  well  be  supposed  without  the  latter ;  for  I 
cannot  obey  what  God  hath  commanded  me,  unless  I  first  be- 
lieve what  he  hath  taught  me.  And  they  are  both  equally 
difficult,  as  they  are  necessary  :  indeed,  of  the  two,  I  think 
it  is  harder  to  lay  the  sure  foundation  of  faith,  than  to  build 
the  superstructure  of  obedience  upon  it  ;  for  it  seems  next 
to  impossible  for  one  that  believes  every  truth,  not  to  obey 
every  command,  that  is  written  in  the  word  of  God.  But  it 
is  not  so  easy  a  thing  as  it  is  commonly  thought  to  believe  the 
word  of  God,  and  to  be  firmly  established  in  the  necessary 
points  of  religion  ;  especially  in  these  wicked  times  wherein 
we  live ;  in  which  there  are  so  many  pernicious  errors  and 
damnable  heresies  crept  into  the  articles  of  some  men's  faith, 
as  do  not  only  shock  the  foundation  of  the  church  of  Christ, 
but  strike  at  the  root  of  all  religion.  The  first  thing,  there- 
fore, that,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  resolved  to  do,  in  re- 


28  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

ference  to  my  everlasting  estate,  is,  to  see  my  faith,  that  it  be 
both  rightly  placed,  and  firmly  fixed,  that  I  may  not  be  as  a 
wave  tossed  to  and  fro  tvith  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  cun- 
ning craftiness  of  those  that  lie  in  trait  to  deceive ;  but  that  I 
may  be  thoroughly  settled  in  my  faith  and  judgment  concern- 
ing those  things,  the  knowledge  of,  and  assent  unto  which, 
is  absolutely  necessary  to  my  future  happiness.  Let  therefore 
what  times  soever  come  upon  me  ;  let  what  temptations  soever 
be  thrown  before  me  ;  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God, 
stedfastly  to  believe  as  folio weth. 


ARTICLE  I. 

/  believe  there  is  one  God,  the  Being  of  all  beings. 

The  other  articles  of  my  faith  I  think  to  be  true,  because 
they  are  so  ;  this  is  true,  because  I  think  it  so :  for  if  there  was 
no  God,  and  so  this  article  not  true,  I  could  not  be,  and  so 
not  think  it  true.  But  in  that  I  think,  I  am  sure  I  am  ;  and 
in  that  I  am,  I  am  sure  there  is  a  God  ;  for  if  there  was  no 
God,  how  came  I  to  be  ?  How  came  I  hither  ?  Who  gave 
me  my  being?  Myself?  that  could  not  be  ;  for  before  I  had 
a  being,  I  was  nothing  ;  and  therefore  could  do  nothing,  much 
less  make  myself  a  being.  Did  my  parents  give  me  my  being  ? 
Alas !  they  knew  not  that  I  should  be,  before  I  was  ;  and  there- 
fore, certainly,  could  not  give  me  my  being,  when  I  was  not. 

As  to  my  soul,  (which  I  call  myself,)  it  is  plain  they  could 
not  give  me  that,  because  it  is  a  being  of  a  spiritual  nature, 
quite  distinct  from  matter,  (as  my  own  experience  tells  me,) 
and  therefore  could  not  be  the  product  of  any  natural  or  mate- 
rial agent :  for  that  a  bodily  substance  should  give  being  to  a 
spiritual  one,  implies  a  contradiction.  And  if  it  could  neither 
make  itself,  nor  take  its  rise  from  any  earthly  or  secondary 
cause,  I  may  certainly  conclude,  from  my  own  reason,  as  well 
as  from  divine  revelation,  that  it  must  be  infused  by  God, 
though  I  am  not  able  to  determine  either  when,  or  how,  it 
was  done. 

As  to  my  body ;  indeed  I  must  own  it  was  derived  from  my 
parents,  who  were  immediately  concerned  in  bringing  the 
materials  of  it  together:  but  then,  who  made  up  these  coarse 
materials  into  the  form  or  figure  of  a  body  ?  Was  this  the 
effect  of  natural  generation?  But  how  came  my  parents  by 
this  generative   power?     Did   they  derive  it,  by  succession. 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  29 

from  our  first  parents  in  Paradise  ?  Be  it  so.  But  whence 
came  they  ?  Did  they  spring  out  of  the  earth  ?  No.  What 
then  ?  Were  they  made  by  chance  ?  This  could  not  be  ;  for 
as  chance  seldom  or  never  produces  any  one  effect  that  is  re- 
gular and  uniform,  so  it  cannot  be  supposed  that  a  being  of 
such  admirable  beauty,  symmetry,  and  proportion,  and  such 
a  nice  contexture  of  parts,  as  the  body  of  man  is,  should  ever 
be  jumbled  together  by  a  fortuitous  concourse  of  atoms,  which 
nothing  but  the  chimeras  of  Epicurus  could  ever  reduce  into 
a  regular  form  and  composition. 

And  the  like  may  be  said  of  all  other  created  beings  in  the 
world.  For  there  is  no  natural  cause  can  give  being  to  any 
thing,  unless  it  has  that  being  it  gives  in  itself;  for  it  is  a  re- 
ceived maxim  in  philosophy,  that  no  thing  can  give  what  it  has 
not.  And  so,  however  the  bodies  of  men,  or  brutes,  or  plants, 
may  now,  in  the  ordinary  course  of  nature,  be  produced  by 
generation,  yet  there  must  needs  be  some  one  supreme  al- 
mighty Being  in  the  world,  that  has  the  being  of  all  other 
beings  in  itself;  who  first  created  these  several  species,  and 
endowed  them  with  this  generative  power  to  propagate  their 
kind.     And  this  supreme  Being  is  that  which  we  call  God. 

Hence  it  is  that  there  is  not  a  leaf,  no  not  a  line,  in  this 
great  book  of  the  creation,  wherein  we  may  not  clearly  read 
the  existence  and  perfections  of  the  great  and  glorious  Creator, 
and  that  even  by  the  glimmering  light  of  nature.  For,  who 
is  it  that  bedecked  yonder  stately  canopy  of  heaven  with  those 
glistering  spangles,  the  stars  ?  Who  is  it  that  commands  the 
sun  to  run  his  course,  and  the  moon  to  ride  her  circuit  so  con- 
stantly about  the  world  ?  Who  is  it  that  formed  me  so  curiously 
in  my  mother's  womb  ?  Who  is  it  that  gives  my  stomach 
power  to  digest  such  variety  of  meats  into  chyle,  and  my  heart 
or  liver  to  turn  them  all  to  blood,  and  thence  to  send  each 
particle  to  its  proper  place,  and  all  to  keep  up  this  crazy 
carcase  ?  Doubtless,  these  and  such-like  things,  however  or- 
dinary or  natural  they  may  appear  to  us  at  present,  are  in 
themselves  very  great  and  wonderful  effects,  that  must,  at  first, 
be  produced  by  some  infinitely  powerful  and  supernatural 
agent,  the  high  and  mighty  God,  who  is  not  only  the  chiefest 
of  beings,  but  the  Being  of  all  beings  whatsoever. 

[  say,  the  Being  of  all  beings,  because  whatsoever  ex- 
cellency or  perfection  is  in  any  other  thing,  is  eminently, 
yea,  infinitely  comprehended  in  him  ;  so  that  he  is  not  only 
the  creature's  perfection  in  the  concrete,  but  in  the  abstract 
too  ;  he  is  not  only  all- wise,  all-good,  all-mighty,  &c.  but  he 

C  2 


30  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

is  all-wisdom,  all-goodness,  all-might,  all-mercy,  all-justice, 
all-glory,  &c.  And  as  he  is  the  ocean  and  abyss  of  all  these 
perfections  in  himself,  so  is  he  the  fountain  of  them  all  to  us  ; 
insomuch  that  we  have  nothing,  not  so  much  as  the  least  mo- 
ment of  life,  but  what  is  communicated  to  us  from  this  ever- 
living  God.  And  not  only  what  we,  poor  sinful  worms,  are, 
or  have,  but  even  whatsoever  those  nobler  creatures  the  angels 
have,  it  is  but  a  beam  darted  from  this  sun,  it  is  but  a  stream 
flowing  from  this  overflowing  fountain. 

Lift  up  thine  eyes,  therefore,  O  my  soul,  and  fix  them  a 
little  upon  this  glorious  object !  How  glorious,  how  trans- 
cendently  glorious,  must  he  needs  be,  who  is  the  Being  of  all 
beings,  the  perfection  of  all  perfections,  the  very  glory  of  all 
glories,  the  eternal  God  !  He  is  the  glory  of  love  and  good- 
ness, who  is  good,  and  doth  good  continually  unto  me,  though 
I  be  evil,  and  do  evil  continually  against  him.  He  is  the  glory 
of  wisdom  and  knowledge,  unto  whom  all  the  secret  thoughts, 
the  inward  motions  and  retirements  of  my  soul  are  exactly 
known  and  manifest.  Never  did  a  thought  lurk  so  secretly  in 
my  heart,  but  that  his  all-seeing  eye  could  espy  it  out :  even 
at  this  time,  he  knows  what  I  am  now  thinking  of,  and  what 
I  am  doing,  as  well  as  myself.  And  indeed,  well  may  he  know 
what  I  think,  and  speak,  and  do,  when  I  can  neither  think, 
nor  speak,  nor  do  any  thing,  unless  himself  be  pleased  to 
give  me  strength  to  do  it.  He  is  the  glory  of  might  and  pow- 
er, who  did  but  speak  the  word,  and  there  presently  went  out 
that  commanding  power  from  him,  by  which  this  stately  fabric 
of  the  world  was  formed  and  fashioned.  And  as  he  created 
all  things  by  the  word  of  his  power,  so  I  believe  he  preserves 
and  governs  all  things  by  the  power  of  the  same  word  :  yea,  so 
great  is  his  power  and  sovereignty,  that  he  can  as  easily  frown 
my  soul  from  my  body  into  hell,  or  nothing,  as  I  can  throw 
this  book  out  of  my  hand  to  the  ground :  nay,  he  need  not 
throw  me  into  nothing  ;  but  as,  if  I  should  let  go  my  hold,  the 
book  would  presently  fall ;  so,  should  God  but  take  away  his 
supporting  hand  from  under  me,  I  should  of  myself  imme- 
diately fall  down  to  nothing.  This  therefore  is  that  God,  whom 
I  believe  to  be  the  Being  of  all  beings  ;  and  so  the  Creator, 
Preserver,  Governor,  and  Disposer  of  all  things  in  the  world. 


1  noughts  on  Religion.  31 


ARTICLE  II. 

I  believe  that  whatsoever  the  most  high  God  vwuld  have  me  to 
believe  or  do,  in  order  to  his  glory  and  my  happiness,  he  hath 
revealed  to  me  in  his  holy  Scriptures. 

Upon  the  same  account  that  I  believe  there  is  a  God,  I 
believe  likewise  that  this  God  is  to  be  worshipped  ;  the  same 
light  that  discovers  the  one,  discovering  the  other  too.  And 
therefore  it  is,  that  as  there  is  no  nation  or  people  in  the  world 
but  acknowledge  some  deity  ;  so  there  is  none  but  worship 
that  deity  which  they  acknowledge  ;  yea,  though  it  be  but  a 
stick  or  a  stone,  yet  if  they  fancy  any  thing  of  divinity  in  it, 
they  presently  perform  worship  and  homage  to  it.  Nay,  that 
God  is  to  be  worshipped,  is  a  truth  more  generally  acknow- 
ledged than  that  there  is  a  God.  No  nation,  I  confess,  ever 
denied  the  latter,  but  no  particular  person  ever  denied  the  for- 
mer :  so  that  the  very  persons  who,  through  diabolical  delusions, 
and  their  own  prevalent  corruptions,  have  suspected  the  exis- 
tence of  a  Deity,  could  not  but  acknowledge  that  he  was  to 
be  worshipped  if  he  did  exist ;  worship  being  that  which  is 
contained  in  the  very  notion  of  a  Deity  ;  which  is,  that  he  is 
the  Being  of  all  beings,  upon  whom  all  other  things  or  beings 
do  depend,  and  unto  whom  they  are  beholden,  both  for  their 
essence  and  subsistence.  And  if  there  be  such  a  Being  that 
is  the  spring  and  fountain  of  all  other  Beings,  it  is  necessary 
that  all  other  should  reverence  and  worship  him,  without  whom 
they  could  not  subsist.  And  therefore  it  is,  that  men  are 
generally  more  superstitious  in  their  worshipping  than  they 
ought  to  be,  rather  than  deny  that  worship  to  him  which  they 
ought  to  give. 

That  therefore  there  is  a  God,  and  that  this  God  is  to  be 
worshipped,  I  do  not  doubt  ;  but  the  great  question  is,  who 
is  this  God  whom  I  ought  to  worship?  and,  what  is  that  wor- 
ship which  I  ought  to  perform  unto  him  ?  The  former  I  have 
resolved  upon  in  the  foregoing  article,  as  the  light  of  reason 
and  my  natural  conscience  suggested  to  me  ;  the  latter  I  am 
resolved  to  search  out  in  this,  viz.  which  of  all  the  several 
kinds  of  worship  that  men  perform  to  the  Deity,  and  the  seve- 
ral religions  that  men  profess  in  the  world,  I  had  best  make 
choice  of  to  profess  and  adhere  to.  The  general  inclinations 
which  are  naturally  implanted  in  my  soul  to  some  religion  it  is 
impossible  for  me  to  shift  off;  but  there  being  such  a  multipli- 
city of  religions  in  the  world,  I  desire  now  seriously  to  con- 


32  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

sider  with  myself,  which  of  them  all  to  restrain  these  my  gene- 
ral inclinations  to. 

And  the  reason  of  this  my  inquiry  is  not  that  I  am  in  the 
least  dissatisfied  with  that  religion  I  have  already  embraced, 
but  because  it  is  natural  for  all  men  to  have  an  overbearing 
opinion  and  esteem  for  that  particular  religion  they  are  born 
and  bred  up  in.  That  therefore  I  may  not  seem  biassed  by 
the  prejudice  of  education,  I  am  resolved  to  prove  and  exam- 
ine them  all,  that  I  may  see  and  hold  fast  to  that  which  is  best. 
For  though  I  do  not  in  the  least  question  but  that  I  shall,  upon 
inquiry,  find  the  Christian  religion  to  be  the  only  true  religion 
in  the  world,  yet  I  cannot  say  it  is,  unless  I  find  it,  upon  good 
grounds,  to  be  so  indeed.  For,  to  profess  myself  a  Christian, 
and  believe  that  Christians  are  only  in  the  right,  because  my 
forefathers  were  so,  is  no  more  than  the  Heathens  and  Ma- 
hometans have  to  say  for  themselves. 

Indeed,  there  was  never  any  religion  so  barbarous  and  dia- 
bolical, but  it  was  preferred  before  all  other  religions  whatso- 
ever by  them  that  did  profess  it ;  otherwise  they  would  not 
have  professed  it.  The  Indians,  that  worship  the  Devil,  would 
think  it  as  strange  doctrine  to  say  that  Christ  is  to  be  feared 
more  than  the  Devil,  as  such  as  believe  in  Christ  think  it  is  to 
say  the  Devil  is  to  be  preferred  before  Christ.  So  do  the  Ma- 
hometans call  all  that  do  not  believe  in  Mahomet,  as  well  as 
Christians  call  those  that  believe  not  in  Christ,  infidels. 
And  why,*  say  they,  may  not  you  be  mistaken  as  well  as  we? 
especially,  when  there  is  at  the  least  six  to  one  against  your 
Christian  religion  ;  all  of  which  think  they  serve  God  aright,  and 
expect  happiness  thereby,  as  well  as  you.  So  that  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian only  upon  the  grounds  of  birth  or  education,  is  all  one  as  if  I 
was  a  Turk  or  a  Heathen  ;  for  if  I  had  been  born  amongst  them, 
I  should  have  had  the  same  reason  for  their  religion  as  now  I 
have  for  my  own  :  the  premises  are  the  same,  though  the  con- 
clusion be  never  so  different.  It  is  still  upon  the  same  grounds 
that  I  profess  religion,  though  it  be  another  religion  which  I 
profess  upon  these  grounds  ;  so  that  I  can  see  but  very  little 
difference  betwixt  being  a  Turk  by  profession,  and  a  Christian 
only  by  education  ;  which  commonly  is  the  means  and  occa- 
sion, but  ought  by  no  means  to  be  the  ground  of  any  religion. 

And  hence  it  is,  that  in  my  looking  out  for  the  truest  reli- 
gion, being  conscious  to  myself  how  great  an  ascendant  Chris- 
tianity hath  over  me  beyond  the  rest,  as  being  that  religion 
whereinto  I  was  born  and  baptized ;  that  which  the  supreme  au- 
thority has  enjoined,  and  my  parents  educated  me  in  ;  that  which 
every  one  I  meet  withal  highly  approves  of,  and  which  I  myself 


J,5 

have,  by  a  long  continued  profession,  made  almost  natural  to 
me  ;  I  am  resolved  to  be  more  jealous  and  suspicious  of  this 
religion  than  of  the  rest,  and  be  sure  not  to  entertain  it  any 
longer,  without  being  convinced,  by  solid  and  substantial  ar- 
guments, of  the  truth  and  certainty  of  it. 

That  therefore  1  may  make  diligent  and  impartial  inquiry 
into  all  religions,  and  so  be  sure  to  find  out  the  best,  I  shall 
for  a  time  lock  upon  myself  as  one  not  at  all  interested  in  any 
particular  religion  whatsoever,  much  less  in  the  Christian  re- 
ligion ;  but  only  as  one  who  desires  in  general  to  serve  and 
obey  him  that  made  me  in  a  right  manner,  and  thereby  to  be 
made  partaker  of  that  happiness  my  nature  is  capable  of.  In 
order  to  this,  it  will  be  necessary  to  propose  to  myself  some 
certain  marks  or  characters,  whereby  I  may  be  able  to  judge 
and  make  choice  of  the  religion  I  intend  to  embrace  :  and  they 
are  in  general  these  two,  viz. 

First,  That  is  the  best  religion  wherein  God  is  worshipped 
and  served  most  like  himself,  i.  e.  most  suitably  and  conform- 
ably to  his  nature  and  will.     And, 

Secondly,  Since  all  men  naturally  desire  and  aspire  after 
happiness,  and  our  greatest  happiness  consists  in  the  fruition 
of  God,  that  is  certainly  the  best  religion  which  gives  me 
the  best  and  most  comfortable  assurances  of  being  happy  with 
God  to  all  eternity. 

To  embrace  a  religion  without  these  marks  would  be  worse 
than  to  have  no  religion  at  all ;  for  better  it  is  to  perform  no 
worship  to  God,  than  such  as  is  displeasing  to  him  ;  to  do  him 
no  service,  than  such  as  will  be  ineffectual  to  make  me  happy, 
and  not  only  frustrate  my  expectations  of  bliss,  but  make  me 
forever  miserable. 

The  religion  then  that  I  am  to  look  after  must  be  such  a 
one  wherein  I  may  be  sure  to  please  God,  and  to  be  made 
happy  with  him,  and,  by  consequence,  such  a  one  wherein  all 
the  cause  of  his  displeasure  and  my  misery  may  be  removed  ; 
and  that  is  sin  :  for  sin  being  infinitely  opposite  to  him,  as  he 
is  a  Being  of  infinite  purity  and  holiness,  must  certainly  set 
me  at  the  greatest  distance  from  him,  and  render  me  most 
odious  in  his  sight ;  and  whatsoever  does  so  must  make  me  as 
miserable  as  misery  can  make  me.  For,  as  our  holiness  con- 
sisted in  likeness,  so  doth  our  happiness  in  nearness  to  God  : 
and  if  it  be  our  happiness  to  be  near  unto  him,  it  must  certain- 
ly be  our  misery  to  be  at  a  distance  from  him.  In  enjoying 
him  we  enjoy  all  things,  he  being  and  having  all  things  in  him- 
self; and  so  in  not  enjoying  him,  we  are  not  only  deprived  of 
all  that  we  can  enjoy,  but  made  liable  to  the  punishments  that 
are  the  consequence  of  it. 


34  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

That  there  is  no  such  thing  in  nature  as  virtue  and  vice,  as 
good  and  evil,  as  grace  and  sin,  is  what  I  can  by  no  means 
persuade  myself  to  ;  for  my  conscience  tells  me  that  there  is : 
and  not  only  mine,  but  every  one  that  ever  yet  lived  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth  ;  all  people,  of  whatsoever  nation  or  lan- 
guage, still  acknowledging  sin  to  be  sin,  and  that  the  displeas- 
ing the  deity  which  they  worship  is  indeed  an  evil  that  ought  to 
be  carefully  avoided.  And  therefore  the  very  Heathens  did 
not  only  upbraid  others  with  it,  but  likewise  often  checked 
themselves  for  it :  and  all  men  naturally  desire  to  seem,  though 
not  to  be,  holy.  But  let  others  say  what  they  will,  I  for  my 
own  part  cannot  but  see  sin  in  myself  by  the  very  light  of  na- 
ture. For  my  reason  tells  me  that  if  God  be  God,  he  must 
be  just  and  perfect ;  and  if  I  be  not  so  too,  I  am  not  like  him, 
and  therefore  must  needs  displease  him ;  it  being  impossible 
any  thing  should  please  him  but  what  is  like  unto  him.  And 
this  difformity  to  the  will  and  nature  of  God  is  that  which  we 
call  sin,  or  which  the  word  sin,  in  its  proper  notion,  brings 
into  my  mind. 

And  being  thus  conscious  to  myself  that  I  have  sinned  a- 
gainst  my  Maker,  I  may  reasonably  conclude,  that  as  he  is 
omniscient,  and,  by  consequence,  a  witness  of  these  my  of- 
fences, so  must  he  likewise  be  just  in  the  punishment  of  them  ; 
for  it  cannot  stand  with  his  justice  to  put  up  with  such  offences, 
without  laying  suitable  punishments  upon  the  offender.  And 
these  punishments  must  be  infinite  and  eternal ;  for  wherein 
doth  the  nature  of  divine  justice  consist,  but  in  giving  to  sin 
its  just  punishments,  as  well  as  to  virtue  its  due  rewards  ? 
Now  that  the  punishment  of  sin  in  this  world  is  not  so  much 
as  it  deserves,  nor,  by  consequence,  as  much  as,  in  justice, 
ought  to  be  laid  upon  it,  to  me  is  clear,  in  that  every  sin  being 
committed  against  an  infinite  God,  deserves  infinite  punish- 
ment ;  whereas  all  the  punishments  we  suffer  in  this  world 
cannot  be  any  more  than  finite,  the  world  itself  being  no  more 
than  finite  that  we  suffer  them  in. 

Upon  these  grounds,  therefore,  it  is  that  I  am  fully  satisfied 
in  my  conscience  that  I  am  a  sinner  ;  that  it  cannot  stand  with 
the  justice  nor  the  existence  of  God  that  made  me  to  pardon 
my  sins,  without  satisfaction  made  to  his  divine  justice  for  them  ; 
and  yet,  that  unless  they  be  pardoned,  it  is  impossible  for  me 
to  be  happy  here  or  hereafter.  And  therefore  must  I  look 
after  some  religion,  wherein  I  may  be  sure  my  sins  may  be 
thus  pardoned,  and  my  soul  made  happy  ;  wherein  I  may 
please  God,  and  God  may  bless  me.  Which  that  I  may  be 
the  better  able  to  discover,  I  shall  take  a  brief  survey  of  all 


itiougnts  on  Keugion.  35 

the  religions  I  ever  Jieard  of,  or  believe  to  be  in  the  world. 

Now,  though  there  be  as  many  kinds  of  religions  as  nations, 
yea,  almost  as  particular  persons  in  the  world,  yet  may  they 
all  be  reduced  to  these  four  ;  the  Paganish,  Mahometan,  Jew- 
ish, and  Christian  religion. 

As  to  the  first  it  is  indeed  of  a  very  large  extent,  and  compre- 
hends under  it  all  such  as  neither  acknowledge  Mahomet  to  be 
a  prophet,  nor  expect  a  promised  Messiah,  nor  believe  in  a 
crucified  Jesus  :  and  since  it  is  the  majority  of  numbers  that 
usually  carries  the  vogue,  let  me  see  whether  the  Paganish  reli- 
gion, being  farther  extended,  and  more  generally  professed 
than  any,  or  indeed  all  the  rest,  be  not  the  true  religion,  where- 
in God  is  most  rightly  worshipped,  and  I  may  be' the  most  cer- 
tainly saved.  And  here,  when  I  take  a  view  of  this  religion,  as 
it  is  dispersed  through  several  parts  of  Asia,  Africa  and 
America,  I  find  them  very  devout  in  worshipping  their  deities, 
such  as  they  are,  and  they  have  great  numbers  of  them  :  some 
worship  the  sun,  others  the  moon  and  stars,  others  the  earth 
and  other  elements,  serpents,  trees,  and  the  like.  And  others 
again  pay  homage  and  adoration  to  images  and  statues,  in  the 
fashion  of  men  and  women,  hogs,  horses,  and  other  shapes  ; 
and  some  to  the  Devil  himself,  as  in  Pegu,  fcc. 

But  now,  to  go  no  farther,  this  seems  to  me  at  first  sight  to 
be  a  very  strange  and  absurd  sort  of  religion  ;  or  rather  it  is 
quite  the  reverse  of  it.  For  the  true  notion  we  have  of  religion 
is  the  worshipping  the  true  God  in  a  true  manner  :  and  this  is 
the  worshipping  false  gods  in  a  false  manner.  For  I  cannot  en- 
tertain any  other  notion  of  God,  than  as  one  supreme  Al- 
mighty Being,  who  made  and  governs  all  things,  and  who,  as 
he  is  a  Spirit,  ought  to  be  worshipped  in  a  spiritual  manner. 
And  therefore,  as  the  very  supposing  more  deities  than  one 
implies  a  contradiction,  so  the  paying  divine  homage  in  a  gross 
carnal  manner  to  material  and  corporeal  beings,  which  are 
either  the  work  of  men's  hands,  or  at  best  but  creatures  like 
ourselves,  which  can  neither  hear  nor  understand  what  we  say 
to  them,  much  less  give  us  what  we  desire  of  them,  is  not  reli- 
gion, but  idolatry  and  superstition,  or  rather  madness  and  de- 
lusion. So  that  this  religion,  I  see,  if  I  should  embrace  it, 
would  be  so  far  from  making  me  happy,  that  the  more  zealous 
I  should  be  for  it,  the  more  miserable  I  should  be  by  it.  For, 
he  that  made  these  things  cannot  but  be  very  angry  at  me,  if  I 
should  give  that  worship  to  them  which  is  only  due  to  himself; 
and  so  the  way  whereby  I  expect  my  sins  should  be  pardoned, 
they  would  be  more  increased  ;  it  being  a  sin  against  tbe  very 
light  of  nature  to  prefer  any  thing  before  God,  or  to  •  orship 


36  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

any  thinpr  in  his  stead  :  therefore,  leaving  these  to  their  super- 
stitions idolatries  and  diabolical  delusions,  I  must  go  and  seek 
for  the  true  religion  somewhere  else. 

The  next  religion  that  hath  the  most  suffrages  and  votes  on 
its  side  is  the  Mahometan  religion,  so  called  from  one  Maho- 
met, an  Arabian,  who  about  a  thousand  years  ago,  by  the  as- 
sistance of  one  Sergius,  a  Nestorian  monk,  compiled  a  book 
in  the  Arabian  tongue,  which  he  called  Alcoran,  which  he 
made  the  rule  of  his  followers'  faith  and  manners,  pretending 
that  it  was  sent  from  heaven  to  him  by  the  hand  of  the  angel 
Gabriel. 

This  book  I  have  perused,  and  must  confess  find  many  things 
in  it  agreeable  to  right  reason ;  as,  that  there  is  but  one  God, 
gracious,  and  merciful,  the  Lord  of  the  whole  universe  ;  that 
this  God  we  are  to  resign  ourselves  wholly  to  ;  that  all  that 
obey  him  shall  be  certainly  rewarded,  and  all  that  disobey  him 
as  certainly  punished ;  and  the  like.  But  yet  I  dare  not  ven- 
ture my  soul  upon  it,  nor  become  one  of  the  professors  of  it ; 
because,  as  there  are  many  things  consonant,  so  are  there 
many  things  dissonant,  to  the  natural  light  that  is  implant- 
ed in  me  ;  as,  that  God  should  swear  by  figs  and  olives,  by 
mount  Sinai,  as  this  book  makes  him  to  do,  in  the  chapter  of 
the  Figs ;  that  Solomon  should  have  an  army  composed  of 
men,  and  devils,  and  birds  ;  and  that  he  should  discourse  with 
a  bird,  which  acquainted  him  with  the  affairs  of  the  queen  of 
Sheba,  and  the  like. 

As  to  the  argument,  whereby  he  would  persuade  us  that  this 
book  was  sent  from  God,  viz.  that  there  are  no  contradictions 
in  it,  I  take  it  to  be  very  false  and  frivolous  ;  for,  besides  that 
that  there  are  many  books  compiled  by  men  which  have  no 
contradictions  in  them,  it  is  certain  there  are  a  great  many 
pin  in  contradictions  in  this  book,  which  overthrow  his  suppo- 
sition. Thus,  in  the  chapter  of  the  Table,  he  saith,  that  "  all 
"  that  believe  in  God,  and  the  resurrection  of  the  dead,  and 
"  have  done  good  works,  shall  be  saved  ;"  but,  in  the  chapter 
of  Gratification,  he  saith,  "  all  that  do  not  believe  in  the  Al- 
coran shall  be  destroyed  ;"  and  so  in  the  chapter  of  Hod.  In 
like  manner,  he  tells  us  again,  in  the  chapter  of  the  Table,  that 
the  books  of  the  old  and  Sew  Testament  were  sent  from  God, 
and  at  the  same  time  supposes,  that  the  Alcoran  was  sent  from 
him  too ;  which  to  me  seems  impossible  :  for  my  reason  tells 
me,  that  God,  who  is  truth  and  wisdom  itself,  cannot  be  guilty 
of  falsehood  or  contradiction.  And  if  these  books  contradict 
one  another,  as  it  is  evident  they  do  in  many  instances,  it  is 
plain  God  could  not  be  the  author  of  both  ;  and,  by  conse- 


quence,  if  the  Scripture  be  true,  the  Alcoran  must  of  necessity 
be  false.  To  instance  but  in  one  particular,  the  Alcoran  says, 
in  the  chapter  of  Women,  "  God  hath  no  Son  ;"  the  Scrip- 
ture, in  Matt.  iii.  17.  God  said  of  Jesus,  This  is  my  beloved 
Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased:  and,  Heb.  iv.  14.  it  ex- 
pressly calls  that  Jesus  the  Son  of  God ;  and  so  in  many  other 
things'.  Now  it  is  impossible  that  both  these  should  be  true, 
or,  by  consequence,  that  that  should  be  true  which  says  both 
are  so. 

But  if  this  were  granted,  there  is  still  another  objection 
against  this  religion  ;  and  that  is,  that  the  rewards  therein 
promised  will  not  avail  to  make  me  happy,  though  I  should  be 
partaker  of  them.  For,  all  the  promises  made  to  us  in  this 
paradise  are  but  mere  sensible  pleasures  ;  as,  that  we  shall 
have  all  manner  of  herbs,  and  fruits,  and  drinks,  and  women 
with  exceeding  great  and  black  eyes,  as  in  the  chapter  of  the 
Merciful,  and  of  Judgment,  and  elsewhere  ;  and  such  plea- 
sures as  these,  though  they  may  indeed  affect  my  body,  yet 
they  cannot  be  the  happiness  of  my  soul.  Indeed,  I  know  not 
how  this  book  should  promise  any  higher  happiness  than  that 
of  the  body,  because  it  shows  no  means  of  attaining  to  it;  it 
shews  no  way  how  my  sins  may  be  pardoned,  and  so  my  soul 
made  happy.  It  saith,  I  confess,  that  God,  is  gracious  and 
merciful,  and  therefore  will  pardon  them  ;  but  my  reason  tells 
me,  that  as  God  is  gracious  and  merciful,  and  therefore  will 
pardon  sin,  so  he  is  also  just  and  righteous,  and  therefore  must 
punish  it.  And  how  these  two  can  stand  together,  is  not  ma- 
nifested  in  the  Alcoran  ;  and  therefore  I  dare  not  trust  my 
soul  with  it. 

Thus,  upon  diligent  search,  have  I  found  the  two  religions, 
that  are  most  generally  professed,  to  have  little  or  nothing  of 
religion  in  them.  I  shall  therefore  in  the  next  place  take  a 
view  of  that  religion  which  hath  the  fewest  followers,  and  that 
is  the  Jewish.  A  religion,  not  established  by  any  human 
laws,  nor,  indeed,  generally  professed  in  any  nation,  but,  only 
by  a  company  of  despicable  people,  scattered  up  and  down  the 
world,  which,  as  the  prophet  expresses  it,  are  become  a  pro- 
verb of  reproach,  and  a  by-word  among  all  nations  whither 
they  are  driven.  The  principles  of  this  religion  are  contained 
in  a  book  written  in  the  Hebrew  tongue,  which  they  call 
the  Torah  or  Laic,  composed  of  several  precepts,  pro- 
mises, a  nd  threatenings  ;  together  with  histories  of  things 
past,  and  prophecies  of  things  to  come  :  this  book,  they  say, 
was   written  by  men  inspired  by  God  himself:   and  therefore 

D 


38  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

they  avouch  it  not  to  be  of  a  human  invention,  but  merely  of 
divine  institution. 

This  book  also  I  have  diligently  read  and  examined  into, 
and  must  ingenuously  confess,  that,  at  the  very  first  glance, 
methought  I  read  divinity  in  it,  and  could  not  but  conclude, 
from  the  majesty  of  its  style,  the  purity  of  its  precepts,  the 
harmony  of  its  parts,  the  certainty  of  its  promises,  and  the 
excellency  of  its  rewards,  that  it  could  be  derived  from  no 
other  author  but  God  himself.  It  is  here  only  that  I  find  my 
Maker  worshipped  under  the  proper  notion  of  a  Deity,  as 
he  is  Jehovah,  and  in  the  right  manner  :  for  we  are  here  com- 
manded to  love  and  serve  him  with  all  our  hearts,  uith  all  our 
souls,  our  might  and  mind.  Deut.  iv.  5.  chap.  x.  12.  which 
is,  indeed,  the  perfection  of  all  true  worship  whatsoever.  And 
as  God  is  here  worshipped  aright,  so  is  the  happiness  which  is 
here  entailed  upon  this  true  worship,  the  highest  that  is  possi- 
ble a  creature  should  be  made  capable  of,  being  nothing  less 
than  the  enjoyment  of  him  we  worship,  so  as  to  have  him  to 
be  a  God  to  us,  and  ourselves  to  be  a  people  to  him,  Jer. 
xxxi.  33. 

But  that  which  I  look  upon  still  as  the  surest  character  of 
the  true  religion  is,  its  holding  forth  the  way  how  I,  being  a 
sinner,  can  be  invested  with  this  happiness  :  or  how  God  can 
shew  his  justice  in  punishing  sin  in  itself,  and  yet  be  so  merci- 
ful as  to  pardon  and  remit  it  to  me,  and  so  receive  me  to  his 
favour  :  which  the  religions  I  viewed  before  did  not  so  much  as 
pretend  to,  nor  offer  at  all  at.  And  this  is  what  this  book  of 
the  Law  does  likewise  discover  to  me,  by  shewing  that  God 
Almighty  would  not  visit  our  sins  upon  ourselves,  but  upon 
another  person  ;  that  he  would  appoint  and  ordain  one  to  be 
our  Sponsor  or  Mediator,  who,  by  his  infinite  merit,  should 
bear  and  atone  for  our  iniquities,  and  so  shew  his  love  and 
mercy  in  justifying  and  acquitting  us  from  our  sins,  at  the 
same  time  that  he  manifests  his  justice  in  inflicting  the  punish- 
ment of  them  upon  this  person  in  our  stead.  A  method  so 
deep  and  mysterious,  that  if  God  himself  had  not  revealed  it, 
I  am  confident  no  mortal  man  could  ever  have  discovered  or 
thought  of  it ! 

Neither  are  there  any  doubts  and  scruples  concerning  this 
great  mystery,  but  what  this  book  does  clearly  answer  and  re- 
solve ;  as  will  appear  more  plainly  from  a  distinct  considera- 
tion of  the  several  objections  that  are  urged  against  it. 

As,  1 .  That  it  does  not  seem  agreeable  either  to  reason  or 
Scripture,  that  one  man  should  bear  the  sins  of  another :  be- 
cause every  man  has  enough  to  do  to  bear  his  own  burden :  and 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  39 

since  sin  is  committed  against  an  infinite  God,  and  therefore 
deserves  infinite  punishment,  how  can  any  finite  creature  bear 
this  infinite  punishment;  especially,  it  being  due  to  so  many 
thousands  of  people  as  there  are  in  the  world ! 

But  this  book  sufficiently  unties  this  knot  for  me,  by  shew- 
ing me,  that  it  is  not  a  mere 'man,  but  God  himself,  that  would 
bear  these  my  sins  ;  even  he,  whose  name  is  The  Lord 
our  Righteousness,  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  where  the  essential  name 
of  the  most  high  God,  which  cannot  possibly  be  given  to  any 
but  to  him  who  is  the  Being  of  all  beings,  is  here  given  to 
him,  who  should  thus  bear  my  sins,  and  justify  my  person  ; 
whence  David  also  calleth  him  Lord,  Psal.  ex.  1.  Isaiah  call- 
eth  him,  The  mighty  God,  Isa.  ix.  6.  yea,  and  the  Lord  of 
Hosts  himself,  with  his  own  mouth,  calls  him  his  fellow,  Zech. 
xiii.  7, 

Obj.  2.  But  my  reason  tells  me  God  is  a  pure  act,  and 
therefore  hoiv  can  he  suffer  any  punishments  ?  or,  suppose  he 
could,  hoiv  can  one  nature  satisfy  for  the  offences  of  another  ? 
It  was  man  that  stood  guilty ;  and  how  can  it  stand  with  the 
justice  of  God  not  to  punish  man  for  the  sins  he  is  guilty  of? 

To  resolve  this  doubt,  this  holy  book  assures  me  that  this 
God  should  become  man,  expressly  telling  me,  that  as  his 
name  is  Wonderful,  Counsellor,  the  Mighty  God,  the  Ever- 
lasting Father,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  so  should  he  be  born  a 
child,  and  given  us  a  son,  Isa.  ix.  6.  And  therefore  at  the 
same  time  that  the  Lord  of  Hosts  calls  him  his  fellow,  he  calls 
him  a  man  too,  against  the  man  that  is  my  fellow,  says  the 
Lord  of  Hosts,  Zech.  xiii.  7. 

Obj.  3.  But  if  lie  be  born  as  other  men  are,  he  must  needs 
be  a  sinner  as  other  men  be  ;  for  such  as  are  born  by  natural 
generation,  must  necessarily  be  born  also  in  natural  corruption. 

To  remove  this  obstacle,  this  holy  book  tells  me,  that  a  vir- 
gin shall  conceive,  and  bear  this  Son,  and  his  name  shall  be 
Immanuel,  Isa.  vii.  14.  And  so  being  begotten,  but  not  by  a 
sinful  man,  himself  shall  be  a  man,  but  not  a  sinful  man  :  and 
so  being  God  and  man,  he  is  every  way  fit  to  mediate  betwixt 
God  and  man,  to  reconcile  God  to  me,  and  me  to  God,  that 
my  sins  may  be  pardoned,  God's  wrath  appeased,  and  so  my 
soul  made  happy  in  the  enjoyment  of  him. 

But  there  is  one  thing  more  yet  that  keeps  me  from  settling 
upon  this  religion  ;  and  that  is,  the  expiration  of  the  time  in 
which  this  book  promiseth  this  person  should  come  into  the 
world  ;  for  it  is  expressly  said,  Dan.  ix.  24.  that  seventy  weeks 
are  determined  upon  thy  people  and  upon  thy  city,  to  finish  the 
transgressions,  and  to  make  an  end  of  sins,  and  to  make  recon- 


40  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

dilation  for  iniquity,  and  to  bring  in  everlasting  righteousness, 
and  to  seal  up  the  vision  and  the  prophecy,  and  to  anoint  the 
Most  Holy.  From  which  anointing,  he  is,  in  the  next  verse, 
called  Messiah,  the  Anointed,  (under  which  name  he  is, 
from  hence,  expected  by  the  Jews  ;)  and  the  beginning  of 
these  seventy  weeks  is  expressly  said,  ver.  25.  to  be  at  the 
going  forth  of  the  commandment  to  build  and  restore  Jerusa- 
lem. Now  if  we  understand  these  seventy  weeks  in  the  largest 
sense,  for  seventy  weeks  or  sabbaths  of  years,  as  it  is  ex- 
pressed, Lev.  xxv.  8.  the  time  of  the  Messiah's  coming  must 
have  been  but  490  years  after  the  commandment  for  the  build- 
ing of  the  city  ;  whereas,  whether  we  understand  it  of  the  de- 
cree and  command  that  Cyrus  made,  2  Chron.  xxxvi.  22,  23. 
Ezra  i.  1,  2,  3.  or  that  which  Darius  made,  Ezra  vi.  or  that 
Artaxerxes  made,  chap.  vii.  I  say,  whichsoever  of  these  de- 
crees we  understand  this  prophecy  of,  it  is  evident  that  it  is 
above  2000  years  since  they  were  all  made  ;  and  therefore 
the  time  of  this  person's  coming  hath  been  expired  above  1G00 
years  at  least. 

So  likewise  doth  this  book  of  the  law  (  as  they  call  it)  assure 
us,  that  the  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor  a  Law- 
giver from  between  his  feet,  until  Shiloh  come,  Gen.  xlix.  10, 
where  the  Jews  themselves,  Jonathan  and  Onkelos,  expound 
the  word  Shiloh,  by  Messiah;  and  so  doth  the  Jerusa- 
lem Targum  too.  Now  it  is  plain,  that  there  'hath  been 
neither  sceptre  nor  lawgiver  in  Judah,  nor  any  political  go- 
vernment at  all  among  the  Jews,  for  above  1600  years  ;  which 
plainly  shews,  either  that  their  prophecies  and  expectations  of 
a  Messiah  are  false,  or  that  he  came  into  the  world  so  many 
ages  since,  as  were  here  prefixed. 

So  likewise  it  was  expressly  foretold  in  this  book,  that  the 
glory  of  the  second  temple  should  be  greater  than  the  glory  of 
the  former,  Hag.  ii.  9.  Now  the  Jews  themselves  acknow- 
ledge, that  there  were  five  of  the  principal  things  which  were 
in  the  first,  wanting  in  the  second  temple,  viz.  1.  The  Ark, 
with  the  Mercy-Seat  and  Cherubim.  2.  The  Schechlnah,  or 
Divine  Presence.  3.  The  Holy  Prophetical  Spirit.  4.  The 
Urim  and  Thummim.  5.  The  Heavenly  Fire  :  and  from  the 
want  of  these  five  things,  they  say,  the  word  nDDX,  /  will  be 
glorified,  Hag.  i.  8.  wants  an  n  at  the  end,  which  in  numera- 
tion denotes  five.  Yea,  and  when  the  very  foundation  of  the 
second  temple  was  laid,  the  old  men  that  had  seen  the  first, 
wept  to  see  how  fir  short  it  was  likely  to  come  of  the  former, 
Ezra  iii.  12.  To  make  up  therefore  the  glory  of  the  second 
temple  to  be  greater  than  the  glory  of  the  first,  notwithstand* 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  41 

ing  the  want  of  so  many  glorious  tilings,  they  must  of  necessi- 
ty understand  it  of  the  coming  of  the  Messiah  into  it,  who,  ver. 
8.  is  called,  The  Desire  of  all  nations.  Whereas  the  Jews 
themselves  cannot  but  confess  that  this  temple  hath  been  de- 
molished above  1 600  years  ;  and  therefore  it  is  impossible  for 
the  Messiah  to  come  into  it,  and  so  for  its  glory  to  be  greater 
than  the  glory  of  the  first  temple ;  and,  by  consequence,  for 
the  word  which  they  profess  to  believe  in  to  be  true. 

Indeed,  the  time  of  the  Messiah's  coming  was  so  expressly 
set  down  in  these  and  the  like  places,  that  Elias,  one  of  their 
great  rabbies,  gathered  from  hence,  that  the  world  should  last 
ijOOO  years,  2000  without  the  law,  2000  under  the  law,  and 
2000  under  the  Messiah,  Sanh.  c.  11.  which  computation  of 
the  Messiah's  coming,  after  4000  years,  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  comes  near  the  time  of  the  sceptre's  departing 
from  Judah,  and  the  end  of  Daniel's  seventy  weeks ;  which 
shows,  that  this  rabbi  was  fully  convinced  that  it  was  about 
that  time  that  the  Messiah  should  come.  And  therefore  it 
was,  likewise,  that  about  1600  years  ago,  the  Jews  did  so 
generally  expect  his  coining,  and  that  so  many  did  pretend  to 
be  the  person  ;  as  Bar-Cozbah,  who,  about  that  time,  venting 
himself  to  be  the  man,  almost  the  whole  nation  unanimously 
concurred  in  following  him  ;  insomuch  that,  as  the  Jews  re- 
port, there  were  no  less  than  400,000,  or,  as  others,  500,000 
men  slain  by  Adrian  the  Emperor,  in  the  city  Bitter,  all  fight- 
ing in  defence  of  this  pretended  Messiah.  There  were  like- 
wise many  others  that  fancied  themselves  to  be  the  man,  and 
were  esteemed  so  by  some,  till  manifestly  convinced  of  their 
error,  as  we  may  read  in  a  book  of  theirs,  called  n*WT  D3t?. 
And  unto  this  day  many  of  them  hold  that  he  is  already  come, 
but  that,  by  reason  of  their  sins,  he  is  not  yet  revealed  to  them. 

Hence  it  is  that  my  natural  reason  draws  me  into  this  dilem- 
ma, that  either  that  book  which  the  Jews  receive  as  the  word 
of  God  is  indeed  not  so,  or  else  that  they  do  not  rightly  apply 
it ;  and  so,  that  either  their  religion  is  a  false  religion,  or  else 
their  profession  of  it  is  a  false  profession  :  and  therefore  I  must 
go  hence,  and  seek  me  some  other  religion  to  fix  my  soul  upon. 
Not  as  if  my  reason  told  me,  that  all  the  prophecies  that  I 
have  mentioned  here  were  false  in  themselves,  but  only  that 
they  appear  so  to  this  sort  of  professors  ;  for,  for  my  own  part, 
I  cannot  shake  off  my  faith  in  this  law,  which  they  profess  to 
believe  in  ;  especially  now  I  have  so  seriously  perused  it,  and 
so  deliberately  weighed  and  considered  of  it.  Neither  can  I 
believe,  that  ever  any  Mahometan  or  Indian  that  did,  without 
prejudice,  set  himself  to  read  it  through,  and  to  examine  every 

D  2 


42  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

particular  by  the  light  of  unbiassed  reason,  could  say  it  was 
ever  hatched  in  a  human  brain  ;  but  that  it  is  indeed  of  a  hea- 
venly stamp,  and  divine  authority.  And  therefore,  though  I 
am  forced  by  the  strength  of  reason  to  shake  hands  with  this 
religion,  yet  the  same  reason  will  not  suffer  me  to  lay  aside 
that  law  which  they  do  profess,  but  only  their  profession  of  it. 
So  that  whatsoever  religion  I  settle  upon,  my  natural  con- 
science still  commands  me  to  stick  close  to  this  book  of  the 
Jewish  law,  and  to  receive  and  entertain  it  as  the  word  of  the 
glorious  Jehovah,  the  Being  of  all  beings. 

Well,  there  is  but  one  religion  more,  generally  professed  in 
the  world,  that  I  am  to  search  into  ;  which  if  upon  good 
grounds  I  cannot  fix  upon,  I  shall  be  the  most  miserable  of  all 
creatures  ;  and  that  is,  the  Christian  religion,  so  named  from 
Jesus  Christ,  whose  doctrine,  life,  and  death,  is  recorded  by 
four  several  persons,  in  a  book  which  they  call  the  Gospel  : 
and  this  book  appears  to  me  to  be  of  undoubted  authority,  as 
to  the  truth  and  certainty  of  those  things  that  are  therein  re- 
corded. For,  if  they  had  been  false,  both  the  persons  that 
wrote  them,  and  he  of  whom  they  wrote,  had  so  many  mali- 
cious enemies  ready,  upon  all  occasions,  to  accuse  them,  that 
they  had  been  long  ago  condemned  for  lies  and  forgeries.  But 
now,  these  writings  having  been  extant  for  above  1600  years, 
and  never  so  much  as  suspected,  but  even  by  the  worst  of  ene- 
mies acknowledged  to  be  a  true  relation  of  what  passed  in  the 
world  about  that  time  ;  my  reason  will  not  permit  me  to  be 
their  first  accuser,  but  enjoins  me  to  receive  them  under  that 
notion,  in  which  they  have  been  brought  down  to  me  through 
so  many  generations,  without  any  interruption  whatsoever. 
For  this  general  reception  on  all  hands  is  a  sufficient  ground 
for  me  to  build  my  faith  upon  as  to  the  truth  of  the  relation, 
though  not  a  sufficient  ground  to  believe  every  thing  contained 
in  the  book  to  be  the  word  of  God  himself:  for,  in  this  particular, 
it  is  not  the  testimony  of  others  that  I  am  to  build  upon,  but 
its  own  :  I  may  read  its  verity  in  man's  testimony,  but  its  di- 
vinity only  in  its  own  doctrines. 

This  book,  therefore,  I  have  also  diligently  perused,  and 
find  it  expressly  asserts,  that  Jesus  Christ,  whose  life  and  death 
it  records,  was  indeed  that  person  who  was  long  ago  promised 
by  God,  and  expected  by  the  Jews  :  and  that  all  the  prophe- 
cies under  the  old  law  concerning  that  Messiah,  God-Man, 
were  actually  fulfilled  in  this  person  ;  which  if,  upon  diligent 
search,  I  can  find  to  be  true,  I  shall  presently  subscribe,  both 
with  hand  and  heart,  to  this  religion.  It  is  a  comfort  to  me, 
that  it  acknowledged  the  Jewish  law  to  be  sent  from  God  ; 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  43 

for  truly,  if  it  did  not,  my  conscience  would  scarce  permit  me 
to  give  any  credit  to  it ;  being  so  fully  convinced  that  that  book 
is  indeed  of  a  higher  extract  than  human  invention,  and  of 
greater  authority  than  human  institution.  And  therefore  it 
is  that  I  cannot,  I  dare  not  believe,  but  that  every  particular 
prophecy  contained  in  it  either  is,  or  shall  be,  certainly  fulfil- 
led, according  to  every  circumstance  of  time  and  place  men- 
tioned therein  ;  and,  by  consequence,  that  this  prophecy  in 
particular,  concerning  the  Messiah's  coming,  is  already  past 
the  time  wherein  it  was  foretold  he  should  come,  being  so  long 
ago  expired.  So  that  I  do  not  now  doubt  whether  the  Messiah 
be  come  or  no,  but  whether  this  Jesus  Christ,  whom  this  book 
of  the  Gospel  speaks  of,  was  indeed  the  person.  And  this  I 
shall  best  find  out,  by  comparing  the  Christian's  Gospel  with 
the  Jewish  Law  ;  or  the  histories  of  Christ  under  the  one,  with 
the  prophecies  of  the  Messiah  under  the  other ;  still  conclud- 
ing, that  if  whatsoever  was  foretold  concerning  the  Messiah 
was  fulfilled  in  this  Jesus  Christ,  then  he  was  indeed  the  Mes- 
siah that  was  to  come  into  the  world.  And,  to  make  this 
comparison  the  more  exact,  I  shall  run  through  the  several 
circumstances  that  attended  his  birth,  life,  death,  resurrection, 
and  ascension,  and  show  how  punctually  the  prophecies  were 
fulfilled  in  every  particular. 

And  first,  for  the  birth  of  the  Messiah,  the  Law  saith,  he 
was  to  be  born  of  the  seed  of  Abraham,  Gen.  xxii.  18.  and 
David,  2  Sam.  vii.  12.  and  of  the  stem  of  Jesse,  Isa.  xi. 
I.  From  whence  he  is  frequently  called  by  the  Jews,  The 
Son  of  David.  The  Gospel  saith,  Jesus  Christ  was  the  son 
of  David,  the  son  of  Abraham,  Matt.  i.  2.  The  Law,  that 
he  was  to  be  born  of  a  virgin,  Isa.  vii.  14.  The  Gospel,  that 
Mary,  a  virgin,  brought  forth  this  Jesus,  Matt.  i.  18.  Luke, 
i.  17,  31.  35.  chap.  ii.  5,  6,  7.  The  Law,  that  he  was  to  be 
born  at  Bethlehem  Ephrata,  Mic.  v.  2.  The  Gospel,  that  this 
Jesus  was  born  there,  Matt.  ii.  1.  Luke  iv.  5.  6. 

The  Law  says,  that  he  was  to  be  brought  out  of  Egypt,  Hos. 
xi.  1.  The  Gospel,  that  Jesus  was  called  thence,  Matt.  ii.  19, 
20.  The  Law  saith,  that  one  should  go  before  the  Messiah, 
Mai.  iii.  5.  and  should  cry  in  the  wilderness,  Isa.  xl.  3.  The 
Gospel,  that  John  Baptist  did  so  before  Christ,  Matt.  iii.  1,  3. 
Mark  i.  2,  3.  The  Law,  that  the  Messiah  should  preach  the 
doctrine  of  salvation  in  Galilee,  who,  sitting  before  in  darkness, 
should  see  great  light,  Isa.  ix.  1,  2.  The  Gospel,  that  Jesus 
did  so,  Matt.  iv.  12,  23.  The  Law,  that  in  the  Messiah's 
days,  the  eyes  of  the  blind  should  be  opened,  and  the  ears  of 
the  deaf  should  be  unstopped,  and  the  lame  leap,  and  the  tongue 


44  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

of  the  dumb  sing,  Isa.  xxxv.  5,  6.  The  Gospel,  that  it  was 
so  in  the  days  of  Jesus  Christ,  Matt.  iv.  23.  chap.  xi.  5.  But 
for  all  these  wonders  and  miracles,  the  Law  saith,  they  should 
hear,  but  not  understand  ;  and  see,  yet  not  perceive,  Isa.  vi.  9. 
and  the  Gospel,  that  seeing  they  did.  not  see,  and  hearing  they 
did  not  hear,  neither  did  they  understand,  Mat.  xiii.  13.  Mark 
iv.  12.  The  Law,  that  he  should  be  despised  and  rejected  of 
men,  a  man  of  sorrows,  and  acquainted  with  grief,  Isa.  liii.  3. 
The  Gospel,  that  Jesus  Christ  had  no  where  to  lay  his  head, 
Matt.  viii.  20.  His  soul  was  exceeding  sorrowful  even  unto 
death,  Matt.  xxvi.  38.  yea,  he  was  in  an  agony,  and  his  siveat 
was  as  drops  of  blood,  Luke  xxii.  24.  so  well  was  he  acquaint- 
ed with  grief.  The  Law  says,  that  he  should  ride  into  Jeru- 
salem upon  an  ass,  and  upon  a  colt  the  fole  of  an  ass,  Zech.  ix. 
9.  And  the  Gospel,  that  Jesus  Christ,  as  he  was  going  to  Je- 
rusalem, having  found  an  ass,  sate  thereon,  John  xii.  14.  Matt, 
xxi.  6.  At  which  time,  the  Law  saith,  the  people  should  cry, 
Hosannali^  blessed  is  he  that  cometh  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
Psal.  cxviii.  26.  The  Gospel,  that  the  multitude  did  so  to 
Christ,  Matt.  xxi.  9.  The  Law,  that  one  of  his  own  familiar 
friends,  in  whom  he  trusted,  ivhich  did  eat  of  his  bread,  should 
lift  up  his  heel  against  him,  Psalm  xli.  9.  The  Gospel,  that 
Judas,  who  was  one  of  Christ's  disciples,  and  so  ate  of  his 
bread,  did  betray  him  into  the  hands  of  the  Jews,  Matt.  xxvi. 
47.  Luke  xxii.  46.  The  Law,  that  he  should  be  prized  at, 
and  sold  for,  thirty  pieces  of  silver,  with  which  should  be  bought 
the  potter' s  field,  Zech.  xi.  12,  13.  The  Gospel,  that  they 
covenanted  with  Judas  to  betray  Jesus  for  thirty  pieces  of  sil- 
ver, Matt.  xxvi.  15.  with  which  they  afterwards  bought  the  pot- 
ters' field,  chap,  xxvii.  7.  The  Law,  that  he  should  be  num- 
bered amongst  transgressors,  Isa.  liii.  12.  The  Gospel,  that 
Jesus  was  crucified  betwixt  two  thieves,  Mark  xv.  27.  Matt, 
xxvii.  38.  The  Law,  that  he  shoiddbe  wounded  and  bruised, 
Isa.  liii.  5.  The  Gospel,  that  they  scourged  Jesus,  Matt.  xxviL 
£0.  and  smote  him,  Mark  xv.  19.  The  Law  saith,  they  should 
pierce  his  hands  and  feet,  Psal.  xxii,  16.  Zech.  xii.  10.  The 
Gospel,  that  they  crucified  Jesus,  Matt,  xxvii.  35.  Luke  xxiii. 
which  was  a  death,  wherein  they  used  to  pierce  the  hands  and 
feet  of  those  that  were  put  to  death,  and  nailed  them  to  the 
cross.  But  though  they  should  pierce  his  flesh,  yet  the  Law 
saith,  they  should  not  break  his  bones,  no  not  one  of  them, 
Exod.  xii.  46.  Numb.  ix.  12.  Psal.  xxxiv.  20.  The  Gospel, 
that  they  brake  not  the  legs  of  Christ,  John  xix.  33,  36.  The 
Law,  that  they  that  should  see  him  should  laugh  him  to  scorn, 
shoot  out  their  lips,  and  shake  their  heads,  saying,  He  trusted 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  45 

in  the  Lord  that  he  would  deliver  him,  let  him  deliver  him,  see- 
ing he  delighted  in  him,  Psal.  xxii.  8.  The  Gospel,  that  the 
Scribes  and  Elders  did  so  to  Christ,  Matt,  xxvii.  42,  43.  The 
Law  saith,  they  should  give  him  gall  for  meat,  and  vinegar  to 
drink,  Psal.  lxix.  21.  And  the  Gospel,  that  they  gave  Christ  vin- 
egar to  drink,  mingled  with  gall,  Matt,  xxvii.  34,  48.  The  Law, 
that  they  should  part  his  garments  amongst  them,  and  cast  lots 
upon  his  vesture,  Psal.  xxii.  19.  The  Gospel,  that  they  part- 
ed Jesus' s  garments,  casting  lots,  Matt,  xxvii.  35.  John  xix. 
23..  Mark xv.  24. 

And  as  for  the  time  of  this  Jesus's  coming  into  the  world, 
it  is  certain  that  this  Jesus  came  before  the  second  temple  was 
demolished  ;  for  it  is  said,  that  he  went  into  it,  Matth.  xix.  45. 
yea,  himself  taught  daily  in  it,  ver.  47,  by  which  means  the  glo- 
ry of  the  second  temple  was  greater  than  the  glory  of  the  first, 
according  to  the  prophecy,  Hag.  ii.  9.  And  as  for  Jacob's 
prophecy,  that  the  sceptre  should  not  depart  from  Judah,  nor 
the  lawgiver,  till  Shiloh,  or  the  Messiah,  come,  Gen.  xlix.  10.  it 
is  certain  that  it  did  not  depart  from  Judah,  till  Herod,  by  the 
senate  of  Rome,  was  made  king  of  Judea,  in  whose  days  this 
Jesus  was  born,  Matt.  ii.  1.  Luke  i.  6.  And  so  did  Daniel's 
70  weeks,  or  490  years,  exactly  reach  unto,  and  were  deter- 
mined in,  the  days  of  this  Jesus,  as  might  easily  be  demonstrat- 
ed. So  that  all  the  old  prophecies,  concerning  the  time  of  the 
Messiah's  coming,  are  perfectly  fulfilled  in  this  Jesus  of  Naza- 
reth. 

But  farther,  the  Law  saith,  that  though  the  Messiah  should 
be  crucified,  yet  God  would  not  leave  his  soul  in  hell,  nor  suf- 
fer his  Holy  One  to  see  corruption,  Psal.  xvi.  10.  and  that,  when 
God  should  make  his  soul  an  offering  for  sin,  he  should  see  his 
seed,  andprolong  his  days,  Isa.  liii.  10.  which  plainly  implies, 
that  though  the  Messiah  should  die,  yet  he  should  rise  again, 
and  that  within  few  days  too,  otherwise  he  would  have  seen 
corruption.  Now  the  Gospel  saith,  that  this  Jesus  rose  from 
the  dead,  Matt,  xxviii.  6.  Luke  xxiv.  6.  and  that  he  was  seen 
of  several  after  his  resurrection,  as  of  Mary  Magdalen,  Matt, 
xxviii.  9.  of  the  eleven  disciples,  ver.  16,  17,  18.  Mark  xvi. 

14.  of  the  two  that  were  going  to  Emmaus,  Luke  xxiv.  13,  14, 

15.  of  Peter,  ver.  34.  and  of  the  disciples  that  were  gathered 
together,  the  door  being  shut,  John  xx.  19.  And,  to  be  sure 
it  was  himself,  and  not  an  apparition,  Thomas,  one  of  the 
twelve,  thrust  his  hands  into  his  side,  and  found  it  flesh  and 
blood  indeed,  as  before,  John  xx.  27.  And  he  ate  before 
them,  Luke  xxiv.  43.  which  it  is  impossible  for  a  spirit  to  do; 
yea,  he  was  seen  of  above  fee  hundred  at  one  time,    1  Cor, 


46  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

xv.  6.  and  of  Paul  himself,  ver.  8.  Neither  did  he  lie  so  long- 
as  to  see  corruption,  for  he  was  buried  but  ike  day  before  the 
sabbath,  Mark  xv.  42.  and  rose  the  day  after,  chap.  xvi.  1. 

Lastly,  he  was  not  only  to  rise  again,  but  the  Law  saith,  he 
was  to  ascend  on  high,  to  lead  captivity  captive,  and  to  give 
gifts  to  men,  Psal.  lxviii.  1 8.     Now  this  cannot  but  be  an  un- 
doubted character  of  the  Messiah,   not  only   to  rise  from  the 
dead,  but  to  ascend  up  to  heaven,  and  thence  to  disperse  his 
gifts  amongst  the  children  of  men  ;   and  that  Jesus  did  so,  is 
likewise  evident  from  the  Gospel  ;  for,    after  he  had  spoken 
with  them,  he  teas  received  up  into  heaven,  and  there  sat  at 
the  right  hand  of  God,   Mark.  xvi.  19.  Luke  xxiv.  51.  And 
he  gave  such  gifts  to  men,  as  that  his  disciples,  of  a  sudden, 
were  enabled  to  speak  all  manner   of  languages,  Acts  ii.  8. 
to  work  many  signs  and  wonders,  chap.   v.    12.  to  heal  all 
manner  of  diseases,  ver.  15,  16.  yea,  with  a  word  speaking, 
to  cure  a  man  lame  from  his  mother's  womb,  chap.  iii.  6,  7. 
Thus  the  Gospel  seems  to  me  to  be  a  perfect  transcript  of 
the  Law,  and  the  histories  of  Jesus  nothing  else  but  the  pro- 
phecies of  Christ  turned  into  an  history.     And  when  to  this  I 
join  the   consideration  of  the  piety  of  the  life  which  this  man 
led,  the  purity  of  the  doctrine  which  he  taught,  and  the  mirac- 
ulousness  of  the  works  he  wrought,  I  cannot  but  be  farther 
confirmed  in  the  truth  of  what  is  here  related.     For  the  mir- 
acles which  he  wrought,  as  the  healing  of  the  sick  with  a  word 
of  his  mouth,  raising  the  dead,  feeding  so  many  thousands  with 
five  loaves,  and  the  like,  were  so  powerful  and  convincing,  that 
his  very  enemies,  that  would  not  believe  him  to  be  the  Messi- 
ah, could  scarce  deny  him  to  be  a  God,  Joseph.  Antiq.  1.  xviii. 
c.  4.     And  it  is  to  this  day  a  tenet  amongst  some    of  them, 
that  the  miracles  which  Jesus  did  were  not  the  delusions  and 
jugglements  of  the  devil,  but  real  miracles,  wrought,  as  they 
say,  by  the  virtue  of  the  name   of  God,  Jehovah,   which  he 
had  gotten  out  of  the  temple.     By   which    it    is    plain    they 
acknowledged  God  to  be  the  author  of  them,   which  I  cannot 
see  how  he  should  be,   unless  they  were  agreeable  to  his  will, 
and  for  the  glory  of  his  name. 

Neither  was  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel  only  established  at 
the  first,  but  likewise  propagated  by  miracles  afterwards,  as  it 
was  necessary  it  should  be.  For  if  it  had  been  propagated 
without  miracles,  that  itself  had  been  the  greatest  miracle  of 
all.  It  was,  no  doubt,  a  great  miracle,  that  a  doctrine  so 
much  contrary  to  flesh  and  blood,  should  be  propagated  by 
any  means  whatsoever  ;  but  a  far  greater,  that  it  should  be 
propagated  by  a  company  of  simple  and  illiterate  men,  who 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  47 

had  neither  power  to  force,  nor  eloquence  to  persuade  men 
to  the  embracing  of  it.  For  who  would  have  thought  that 
such  persons  as  these  were,  should  ever  make  any  of  the  Jews, 
who  expected  a  King  for  their  Messiah,  to  advance  them  to 
temporal  dignities,  believe  that  Jesus,  whom  themselves  scour- 
ged and  crucified  at  Jerusalem,  was  the  person  !  or,  that  they 
should  be  able  to  propagate  the  Gospel  amongst  the  Gentiles 
also,  who  neither  believed  in  the  true  God,  nor  expected  any 
thing  of  a  Messiah  to  come  and  redeem  them  ?  But  this  they 
did,  and  brought  over  not  only  many  persons,  but  whole  na- 
tions and  countries,  to  the  profession  of  the  Gospel ;  propagat- 
ing this  most  holy  doctrine  amongst  the  most  barbarous  and 
sinful  people  in  the  world,  maugre  all  the  opposition  that  the 
world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  could  make  against  it.  Now, 
can  any  man  that  exerciseth  his  reason,  think,  they  did  all  this 
purely  by  their  own  strength  ?  No,  sure,  none  of  these  won- 
derful effects  could  ever  have  been  produced  by  any  thing  less 
than  the  wisdom,  and  power,  and  faithfulness  of  their  Lord 
and  Master,  whose  service  they  were  engaged  in,  and  who 
promised  to  be  with  them  to  the  end  of  the  world,  Matt,  xxviii. 
20.  Questionless,  it  was  nothing  else  but  the  Spirit  of  the 
most  high  God,  that  went  along  with  them,  and  accompanied 
the  word  they  preached  ;  otherwise,  it  never  could  have  made 
such  deep  impression  upon  the  hearts  of  them  that  heard  it, 
as  not  only  to  command  their  attention,  but  to  hinder  them 
from  resisting,  when  they  strove  and  endeavoured  to  do  it,  the 
power  and  authority  by  which  the  disciples  spake. 

And  now,  methinks,  I  begin  to  perceive  this  divine  Spirit  is 
come  upon  me  too,  and  seems,  by  its  powerful  influence,  to 
be  working  up  my  heart  into  a  thorough  persuasion,  that  it  is 
Christ,  and  Christ  alone,  I  am  to  cast  my  soul  upon  ;  that  it  is 
he  alone  that  is  the  way  to  life,  and  his  word  alone  the  word  of 
life,  which  whosoever  believes,  and  is  baptized  into,  shall  be 
saved ;  and  he  that  believeth  not,  shall  be  damned.  Away 
then  with  your  Paganish  idolatries,  your  Mahometan  supersti- 
tions, and  Jewish  ceremonies ;  it  is  the  Christian  religion 
alone  that  I  am  resolved  to  live  and  die  in,  because  it  is  this 
alone  in  which  I  am  taught  to  worship  God  aright,  to  obtain 
the  pardon  and  remission  of  my  sins,  and  to  be  made  eternally 
happy.  And  since  all  its  doctrines  and  precepts  are  contain- 
ed in  the  holy  Scriptures,  it  is  necessary  that  I  should  assent 
unto  them,  as  a  standing  revelation  of  God's  will,  and  an  eter- 
nal treasure  of  divine  knowledge  ;  whereby  all  that  sincerely 
believe  in  Christ,  may  be  sufficiently  instructed,  as  well  as 
thoroughly  furnished  unto  every  good  word  and  work. 


48  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

Without  any  more  ado  therefore,  I  believe,  and  am  verily 
persuaded,  that  all  the  books  of  the  ancient  Law,  with  all 
those  that  have  been  received  into  the  Canon  of  the  Scripture 
by  the  church  of  God  since  the  coming  of  Christ,  which  we 
call  the  New  Testament ;  I  say,  that  all  these  books,  from  the 
beginning  of  Genesis  to  the  end  of  the  Revelations,  are  indeed 
the  word  of  the  eternal  God,  dictated  by  his  own  Spirit,  unto 
such  as  himself  was  pleased  to  employ  in  the  writing  of  them  ; 
and  that  they  contain  in  them  a  perfect  and  complete  rule  of 
faith  and  manners  ;  upon  the  due  observance  of  which,  I  can- 
not fail  of  worshipping  and  serving  God  in  such  a  manner  as 
will  be  acceptable  to  him  here,  and  of  enjoying  hereafter  those 
exceeding  great  and  precious  promises,  that  he  has  reserved  in 
heaven  for  such  as  do  so. 

Unto  these  books,  therefore,  of  the  Law  and  Gospel,  I  am 
resolved,  by  his  grace  that  wrote  them,  to  conform  all  the  en- 
suing articles  of  my  faith,  and  all  the  actions  and  resolutions 
of  my  life.  Insomuch  that  whatsoever  I  find  it  hath  pleased 
his  sacred  Majesty  herein  to  assert,  I  believe  it  is  my  duty  to 
believe ;  and  whatsoever  he  hath  been  pleased  to  command  me, 
I  believe  it  is  my  duty  to  perform. 

ARTICLE  III. 

/  believe,  that  as  there  is  one  God,  so  this  one  God  is  three  per- 
sons,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

Tins  I  confess  is  a  mystery  which  I  cannot  possibly  conceive, 
yet  it  is  a  truth  which  I  can  easily  believe  ;  yea,  therefore  it  is 
so  true,  that  I  can  easily  believe  it,  because  it  is  so  high  that  I 
cannot  possibly  conceive  it;  for  it  is  impossible  any  thing 
should  be  true  of  the  infinite  Creator,  which  can  be  fully  ex- 
pressed to  the  capacities  of  a  finite  creature  :  and  for  this  rea- 
son I  ever  did,  and  ever  shall,  look  upon  those  apprehensions 
of  God  to  be  the  truest,  whereby  we  apprehend  him  to  be  the 
most  incomprehensible  ;  and  that  to  be  the  most  true  of  God, 
which  seems  most  impossible  unto  us. 

Upon  this  ground,  therefore,  it  is,  that  the  mysteries  of  the 
Gospel,  which  I  am  less  able  to  conceive,  I  think  myself  the 
more  obliged  to  believe ;  especially  this  mystery  of  mysteries, 
the  Trinity  in  Unity,  and  Unity  in  Trinity,  which  I  am  so  far 
from  being  able  to  comprehend,  or  indeed  to  apprehend,  that 
I  cannot  set  myself  seriously  to  think  of  it,  or  to  screw  up  my 
thoughts  a  little  concerning  it,  but  I  immediately  lose  myself, 
as  in  a  trance,  or  ecstasy  :  that  God  the  Father  should  be  one 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  49 

perfect  God  of  himself,  God  the  Son  one  perfect  God  of  him- 
self, and  God  the  Holy  Ghost  one  perfect  God  of  himself ;  and 
yet  these  three  should  be  but  one  perfect  God  of  himself;  so 
that  one  should  be  perfectly  three,  and  three  perfectly  one, 
that  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  should  be  three,  and 
yet  but  one ;  but  one,  and  yet  three !  O  heart-amazing,  thought- 
devouring,  inconceivable  mystery !  Who  cannot  believe  it  to 
be  true  of  the  glorious  Deity !  Certainly,  none  but  such  as 
are  able  to  apprehend  it,  which,  I  am  sure,  I  cannot,  and  be- 
lieve no  other  creature  can.  And,  because  no  creature  can 
possibly  conceive  how  it  should  be  so,  I  therefore  believe  it 
really  to  be  so,  viz.  that  the  Being  of  all  beings  is  but  one  in 
essence,  yet  three  in  subsistence  ;  but  one  nature,  yet  three 
persons  ;  and  that  those  three  persons  in  that  one  nature,  though 
absolutely  distinct  from  one  another,  are  yet. but  the  same 
God.  And  I  believe,  these  three  persons  in  this  one  nature 
are  indeed  to  one  another,  as  they  are  expressed  to  be  to  us  ; 
that  the  one  is  really  a  Father  to  the  other,  that  the  other  is 
really  a  Son  to  him,  and  the  third  the  product  of  both ;  and 
yet,  that  there  is  neither  first,  second,  nor  third,  amongst  them, 
either  in  time  or  nature.  So  that  he  that  begat  was  not  at  all 
before  him  that  was  begotten,  nor  he  that  proceeded  from  them 
both  any  whit  after  either  of  them.  And  therefore,  that  God 
is  not  termed  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  if  the  divine- 
nature  of  the  one  should  beget  the  divine  nature  of  the  second  ; 
or  the  divine  nature  of  the  first  and  second  should  issue  forth 
the  divine  nature  of  the  third  ;  (for  then  there  would  be  three 
divine  natures,  and  so  three  Gods  essentially  distinct  from  one 
another ;  by  this  means  also,  only  the  Father  would  be  truly 
God,  because  he  only  would  be  essentially  of  and  from  him- 
self, and  the  other  two  from  him:)  but  what  I  think  myself 
obliged  to  believe  is,  that  it  was  not  the  divine  nature,  but  the 
divine  person  of  the  Father,  which  did,  from  eternity,  beget 
the  divine  person  of  the  Son ;  and  from  the  divine  persons  of 
the  Father  and  of  the  Son,  did,  from  eternity,  proceed  the 
divine  person  of  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  so  one  not  being  before 
the  other  in  time  or  nature,  as  they  are  from  eternity  three 
perfectly  distinct  persons,  so  they  are  but  one  coessential  God. 
But  dive  not,  O  my  soul,  too  deep  into  this  bottomless  ocean, 
this  abyss  of  mysteries !  It  is  the  Holy  of  Holies,  presume 
not  to  enter  into  it ;  but  let  this  suffice  thee,  that  he  who  best 
knows  himself  hath  avouched  it  of  himself,  and  therefore  thou 
oughtest  to  believe  it.  See  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  Go  ye  therefore 
and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  tlie  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.     And  again,  1.  John 

E 


Thoughts  on  Religion. 

ver.  7.   There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  thr  Father, 

the  Word,  md  the  Holy  Ghost  ;  and  these  three  are  one. 


ARTICLE  IV. 

/  believe  that  J  was  conceived  in  sin.  and  brought  forth  in  ini- 
quity; and  that  ever  .\ine<,  J  hare  hem  euntinually  conceiving 
mischief,  and  bringing  forth  vanity. 

Tin-  article  of  my  faith  I  must  of  necessity  believe,  whether 
I  will  or  no;  for  if  I  could  not  believe  it  to  be  true,  1  Bhould 
therefore  have  the  more  cause  to  believe  it  to  be  bo  ;  because, 
unless  my  heart  was  naturally  very  .-ini'til  and  corrupt}  it  would 
he  impossible  for  me  not  to  believe  that  which  I  have  bo  much 
continually  to  bewail;  <>r.  if  I  do  not  bewail  it.  I  have 
.-till  the  more  cause  to  believe  it  ;  and  then  fore  am  bo  much 
the  more  persuaded  of  it.  by  how  much  the  less  1  find  myself 
affected  with  it.  Tor  certainly  I  must  be  a  hard-hearted  \\  n  tch 
indeed,  steeped  in  Bin,  and  fraught  with  corruption  to  the  high- 
est, if  I  know  myself  sooti  t«>  have  incensed  the  wrath  of*  the 
most  high  <o>d  againstme,  aa  I  do,  arid  yet  not  be  sensible  of 
my  natural  corruption,  nor  acknovi  ledge  myself  to  be  by  nature 
a  child  of  wrath,  aa  well  as  others.  For  I  rerily  believe,  thai 
the  want  (A'  Buch  a  due  sense  of  myself  argu< .-  as  much  origi- 
nal corruption,  as  murder  and  whoredom  do  actual  pollution. 
And  I  shall  ever  suspect  those  t<>  l>c  the  most  under  the  power 
of  that  corruption,  that  labour  most  by  arguments  to  divest  it 
of  its  i'<»v. 

And  then  I         n  my  own  part.  I  am  resolved,  by  the  Lrmcc 
of  God,  i  •  about  to  confute  that  by  wilful  argun 

which  1  find  bo  true  by  woful  experience.  If  there  be  not  a 
bitter  root  in  my  heart,  whence  p  so  much  bitter  fruit 

m  my  life  and  conversation  :  Alas!  I  can  m  ither  Bel  my  head 
nor  lieart  about  any  thing,  but]  still  show  myself  to  be  the 
sinful  offspring  of  sinful  parents,  by  being  the  sinful  parent  of 
a  sinful  offspring  :  nay,  I  (](^  not  only  betray  the  inbred  wnom 
of  my  h<  art,  by  poisoning  my  common  actions,  but  even  my 
most  religious  performances  also,  with  sin.  I  cannot  pray, 
but  I  sin  ;  I  cannot  hear,  or  preach,  a  sermon,  but  J  sin ;  I 
cannot  give  an  alms,  or  receive  the  sacrament,  but  I  sin  ;  nay, 
I  cannot  so  much  as  confess  my  sins,  but  my  very  confessiona 
are  still  aggravations  of  them ;  my  repentance  needs  to  be  re- 
pented of,  my  tears  want  washing,  and  the  very  washing  of 


Thought*  on  Religion*  >l 

myteai  |UN  tn  nt"  ua^lr,l  over  again  with  thebk 

my  Redeemer.     Thus  not  only  the  word  ofmj  bids,  but  i 
the  best  of  my  duties,  speak  me  a  child  of  Adam,     Insomuch 
lt,  (t  n  Ject  upon  my  past  actions,  methinks  1 

not  but  look  upon  my  whole  life,  from  the  tunc  of  my  con- 
ception to  tliis  rery  moment,  to  be  but  as  one  continued  act 
of  sin. 

And  whence  can  such  ■  continued  stream  of  corru] 
n  from  the  corrupt  cistern  of  my  beartl     And  wh 
can  that  corrupt  cistern  of  my  heart   be  filled,  but  from  the 
corrupt  fountain  of  my  natnn        I  fore,  O  mj 

to  gainsay  the  power  of  original  sin  within  thee,  and  labour 
now  to  subdue  it  under  thee.  But  why  do  I  of  my  subduing 

tins  -in  mv-«  It'.'     Surely  this  would  be  both  an  argument  I 

and  an  addition  to  it.      It  is  to  ihee,   I  I  my  HoA,   who  art  both 

the  searcher  and  cleanser  of  hearts,  that  i  desire  to  make  my 
moan!  It  is  to  thee  I  cry  out  in  the  bitterness  of  my  soul,  <> 
wretched  mam  thai  I  am,  who  ihaU  deliver  me  from  the  Imdy  of 
this  death?  Who  shall.'  Oh!  who  can  do  lt,  but  thyself '! 
Arise  thou,  therefore, ( >  my  God,  and  .-how  thyself  as  infinitely 
merciful  m  the  pardoning,  as  thou  art  infinitely  powerful  in 
the  purging  away  my  sins! 


ARTICLE  V. 

1  Uiicvc  tfu1  Son  of  Gfad  become  the  son  of  wan  ,  that  1  the  son 
of  man  wdghi  become  tin  son  of  Cod. 

<)h!  how  comfortably  does  this  raise  me,  from  the  lot 
ment  of  sin  and  misery,  which  1  have  before  acknowl- 
edged to  be  my  natural  state,  to  the  highest  exaltation  of  hap- 
piness and  glory  in  a  spiritual  one!      This  is  that  great  article 

of  faith,  by  which  all  the  benefits  of  our  Saviour's  deatli  and 
passion  are  made  over  to  me  in  the  new  covenant,  and  by 
which,  it'  I  perform  the  conditions  therein  required,  I  .-hall  not 
only  be  retrieved  from  the  bondage  and  Corruption  that  is  in- 
herent in  me  as  ■  child  of  wrath,  but  be  justified  and  accepted 
as  the  son  of  (iod,  and  be  made  I  joint-heir  with  <  'hri.-t.  This 
is  a  point  of  the  greatest  jnouient  and  concern,  which,  by  the 
grace  and  assistance  of  him  of  whom  I  speak,  and  in  whom  \ 

thus  believe,  I  shall  therefore  be  the  more  <  KSct  and  {'articular 

in  the  searching  and  examining  into. 

Now  wri/>n  I  say  and  believe  that  (Jod  became  man.  I  do  n<.-t 


—  TkongkU  on  Religion. 

90  understand  it,  as  tf  the  divine  nature  took  upon  it  a  human 
son,  but  thai  >i  divine  person  took  upon  him  the  human 

nature;    /.  e.  it  was  not  the  divine  nature  in  genera),   without 

-  vet  to  tiie  pei sons,  but  one  of  the  persons  in  the  divine 
nature  which  took  flesh  upon  him.  And  yet,  to  speak  pre- 
cisely, it  was  not  the  divine  person  abstracted  or  distinct  from 
the  divine  nature,  but  it  was  the  divine  nature  in  that  person 
which  thus  took  upon  it  the  human.  And  this  was  not  the  first  or 
third,  but  the  second  person  only  in  the  sacred  Trinity,  that  thus 
assumed  our  nature  ;  as,  considering  the  mysterious  order  and 
economy  of  the  divine  persons,  it  seems  to  be  necessary  that 
it  should. 

For.  first,  the  Father  could  not  have  become  this  Son  of 
man.  because  then  he  that  had  begotten  from  eternity,  should 
been  begotten  in  time;  by  which  means,  as  he  was  the 
Father  to  the  Son,  so  would  the  Son  also  have  been  the  Fa- 
ther unto  him  ;  and  so  the  order  betwixt  the  Father  and  the 
Son  destroyed. 

Nor.  secondly,  could  the  Holy  Ghost  have  taken  our  na- 
ture upon  him,  because  the  bond  of  personal  union  betwixt 
the  divine  and  human  nature  is  from  the  Spirit,  (and  thence  it 
is,  that  every  one  that  is  partaker  of  Christ's  person,  is  par- 
taker ot  his  Spirit  also,)  which  could  not  be,  if  the  Spirit  it- 
self had  been  the  person  assuming.  For  I  cannot  conceive 
how  tiie  same  person  could  unite  itself,  by  itself,  to  the  as- 
sumed nature:  and  therefore  we  read,  that  in  the  Virgin's 
conception  of  our  Saviour,  it  was  neither  the  Father,  nor  the 
Son  himself,  but  the  Spirit  of  the  Most  High,  which  did  over- 
shadow her,  Luke  i.  35. 

And  farther,  if  the  Holy  Ghost  had  been  my  Redeemer, 
who  should  have  been  my  Sanctirier  I  If  he  had  died  per- 
sonally for  me,  who  should  have  applied  his  death  effectually 
to  me  !  That  I  could  not  do  it  myself  is,  beyond  eontradic- 
.  evident  ;  and  that  either  the  Father  or  tiie  Son  should  do 
:t.  is  not  agreeable  to  the  nature  or  order  of  the  divine  opera- 
tions :  they,  as  I  believe,  never  acting  any  thing  ad  extra 
personally,  but  by  the  Spirit  proceeding  from  them  both.  And 
therefore  it  is.  that  Christ,  to  comfort  his  disciples  after  his 
death,  promised  them  in  his  life-time  that  he  would  send  them 
tie  Comforter,  John  xvi.  7.  winch  is  the  Spirit  of  truth,  ver. 
13.  He  doth  not  say.  he  wiil  come  again  personallv,  but 
mystically  to  them,  by  his  Spirit. 

Bui  now  that  the  Spirit,  whose  office  it  is  to  apply  the  merit 
and  mediation  of  God-man  to  me,  could  not  have  done  it,  if 
himself  had  been  that  God-man,  seems  to  me  as  clear  and  ma- 


Thoughts  on  Religion. 

the*  :  for  if  be  hud  done  it,  t» 
done  it  by  the  Father,  by  the  Son,  or  by  himself.     He  could 
not  do  it  by  the  Father,  nor  the  Son,  I 
by  them,  but  all  things  from  them.     The    Fathei 
.Son  by  the  Spirit,  the  Son  from  the  Father  by 
Spirit  from  the  Father  and  the  Son.      And  I 
follows,  that  as   the    -  Id  not   unite  itself  bei 

neither  can  it  apply  itself  here,  '  man  nature  ;  for  lo 

man  nature  into  the  di 
divine  nature  to  the  ham 
fore  to  be  performed  by  two  distinct  perse  is. 

been  done  on/  reaiiy  D 

God  ;   the  other  only    by  one  V. 
m^n. 

And  that  mast  nee  >j  for  oft 

upon  i  and, 

by  conseqnence,  all  the 

would   ha  A  m  the  frailty  of  the  human,  the 

perfect  m  So  that  it  woold  hare  availed 

the  Spirit  had  I  nature  upon  him  ; 

had  assumed  the  human,  I  could  not  thence  have  pari 
of  the  divine  nature  ;   nay.  therefore  I  col. 

because  fa 
could  be  brought  into  I 
I  should  be  farther  off  than  i 

And  lastly, 
have  been   two  Fathers  ;   so,  if  the  Spirit  had  become  . 
there  would  have  been  two  Sons,  the  second  pc 
from  eternity,  and  the  third  p 
by  th  king  our  nature  upon  him,  r: 

difficulties  are  avoided,  which  we  alight  easily  j, 
we  sufficiently  dive  into  the  depth  of  :orn  of  th- 

in sending  his  Son,  rather  than  his  Spirit,  1 1 
self  in  his  own  person.     Howsoever,  to  us.  it  cannot  but  - 
most  equitable,   'if  reason   may   hold  the  balance,)  thai 
who  is  the  middle  person,  betwixt  the  Father  and   I 
-should  become  the  Mediator  betwixt  God  and  man  ;   and  that 
he  who  is  the  Sun  of  God  in  the  glorious  Trinity,  should  be- 
corne  the  Son  of  man  in  this  cjracious  i 

But,  on  the  other  side,  as  it  was  not  the  divine  nature,  but 
a  divine  person,  that   did  assume,  ?.o  neither  was  it  a  hi 
person,  but  the  human  nature,  that  was  assumed  :   for  other- 

•  if  he  had  assumed  the  person  of  any  one   man  i: 
world,  his  death  had  been  beneficial  to  none  but'hira  whose 
person  he  thus  assumed  and  represented.     Whereas,  now 

E  2 


! 

isaaoHM  tare  of  man  in  _  -.11  that  partake 

taking       :he  benefits  he  pur- 

_  in  our  stead.     And  thus,  under  each 

■  .  as   the    re;  -       90  were  the  ef- 

oa   all  died,  even  so  in 
>:  shall  all  be 
A_  became  v..     -         'man, 

I  do  not  mean  -  cease  to  be  what  he  was 

the  8  0  his  Godhead  to 

:   but  I  believe  he   took  the  man- 
hood into  his  :t  off  the  one  to  put  on 
ther,  but  he  put  on              the  other  :  neither  do  I  believe 
uman  nal                      ssomed  into  the  divine,  ceased 
;o  be  human  :   bat  as  1                 person         sso  aed  the  human 
natu.                 to  remain                          n,  so  the  human  nature 
isanmed  into  a  di               son  as  still  to  remain  a  human 

..as  to  be  both  perfectly 
God  S  person. 

I  say.  in  one  per-  2  should  be  God  and  man  in 

dd  avail  me  no  more  than  if  he  should 

be  God  only,  and  not  man,  or  man  only,  and  not  God  :  be- 

ihe  merit  and  -  p  isshre  obedi- 

5  gi  upon  the  union  of  the  two  natures  in 

He  v:  y  his  life  and  death, 

ed  so  mu  ease  the  same  person  that  so  lived 

vas         las  -        n :   and  even'  action  that  he 

is  done  and  suffered 

s  God  as   well  as  m  m.     And   hence  it  is  that 

F  all  the  pen  .  yea.  only  fit, 

.  r,  and  Surety,  because  he  alone 

tan  in  one  person.     If  he  was  not  man.  he 

:  not  undertake  that  office  ;  if  he  was  not  God.  he  could 

If  he  wns  not  man,  he  could  not  be  capable 

of  being  bound  for  me  :   if  he  was  not  God,  he  would  not  be 

-  man  by  whom  the  covenant  was 

re  man  1  suitable  punishment  laid 

upon  him  :   it  was  God  vim  ^vhom  it  was  broken,  and  there- 

jod  must  have  sufficient  n  made  unto  him  :  and 

r  that  satisd  nan  that  had  offended,  and 

:bre  man  alone  could  make  it  suitable  ;  it  was  God  that 

ffended,  and  therefore  God  alone  could  make  it  sufficient. 

The  sum  this  :   man  can  suffer,  but  he  cannot  sa- 

-      .   God  can  .-:.:"  .  but  he  can  ;   but  Christ  being 

both  suff  too  ;   and  so  is 

perfect  n,  and  to  make  satisfaction 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  55 

unto  God  ;  to  reconcile  God  to  man,  and  man  to  God.  And 
thus,  Christ  having  assumed  my  nature  into  his  person,  and 
so  satisfied  divine  justice  for  .ved  into  grace 

and  favour  again  with  the  most  hi^rh  God. 

Upon  this  principle,  I  believe  that  I,  by  nature  the  son  of 
man,  am  mad-        _  the  son  of  God,  as  really   as  Christ, 

by  nature  the  Son  oi  s  made  by  office  the  son  of  man  : 

so,  though  in  myself  I  may  say  to  corruption.  Thou  art 
my  mother  :  yet  in  Christ  I  may  say  to  God,  Abba  Father. 
er  do  I  believe  this  to  be  a  metaphorical  expression,  viz. 
because  he  doth  that  for  me  which  a  father  doth  for  his  child, 
even  provide  for  me  whilst  young,  and  give  me  my  portion 
when  come  to  age  ;  but  I  believe,  thac  in  the  same  propriety 
of  speech  that  my  earthly  father  was  called  the  father  of  my 
natural  self,  is  God  the  Father  of  my  spr:  for.  why 

rthly  father  c   .  .ther.  but  because  that  I.  aa 

to  my  natural  being,  was  born  of  what  proceeded  from  him, 
viz.  his  seed  !  ritual  being,  am  I  bora 

of  what  proceeds  from  God.  his  Spirit  :   ar.  a  not  bora 

of  the  ver  e  of  my  natural  parents,  but  only  of  what 

came    from    them  ;  s 

again,  quickened,  and  const-  -  bstance  of  my 

heavenly  Fath  e   Spirit-  and  spiritual  influ- 

romhim.     Thns  re  it  is  that  I  believe 

I    a  of  God,  became  the  son  of  man  :  and  thus 

that  I  believe  myse  of  man,  to  be  made  thereby 

the  son  of  God.      1  ind   Father,   do  thou 

help  mine  unbelief;  and  every  day  more  and  more  increase  my 
faith,  till  itself  shall  be  done  away,  and  turned  into  the  most 
perfect  vision  and  fruition  of  thine  oven  most  glorious  God- 
head : 


ARTICLE  VI. 

/  believe  that  Christ  lire  J  lo  God,  and  died  for  sin,  that  I  might 
die  to  sin,   a/  ith  God. 

And  thus  by  frith  my  Saviour  from  the  womb  to  the 

tomb,  from  his  incarnation  I :  believing 

\i  he  did  or  s-.::  :e  for  my  sake  .:st  did  not 

only  take  my  nature  upon  him,  but  he  suffered  and  obeyed,  he 

underwent  miseries  and  undertook  duties  for  me  ;   so  that  not 

.  :.  but   li-.  :   active  obedience  unto  God. 


56  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

in  that  nature,  was  still  for  me.  Not  as  if  I  believed  his  duty 
as  man  was  not  God's  debt  by  the  law  of  creation  ;  yes,  I  be- 
lieve that  he  owed  that  obedience  unto  God,  that  if  he  had  com- 
mitted but  one  sin,  and  that  of  the  lightest  tincture,  in  all  his 
life-time,  he  would  have  been  so  far  from  being  able  to  satisfy 
for  my  sins,  that  he  could  not  have  satisfied  for  his  own  ;  for 
such  an  High-Priest  became  us,  who  is  holy,  harmless,  undc- 
filed,  separate  from  .sinners,  and  made  higher  ikon  the  hea- 
ven* ;  who  ncctictli  not  dotty,  as  those  high-priests,  to  offer  up 
sacrifice,  first  for  his  own  sins,  and  then  for  the  people1 s, 
lleb.  \ii.  26,  27.  So  that  if  he  had  not  had  these  qualifica- 
tions in  their  absolute  perfection,  he  could  not  have  been  our 
High-Priest,  nor  by  consequence  have  made  atonement  lor, 
nor  expiated,  any  sins  whatsoever.  Bui  now,  though  both  as 
man,  and  as  God-man  or  Mediator  too,  it  behoved  him  to  be 
thus  faithful  and  Bootless  ;  yet,  as  being  God  coequal  and  co- 
1 38<  ntial  with  tin-  Father,  it  was  not  out  of  duty,  but  merely 
upon  our  account,  that  he  thus  subjected  his  neck  to  the  yoke 
of  his  own  law  ;  himself  as  God  being  the  legislator  or  law- 
giver, and  so  no  more  under  it  than  the  Father  himself. 

And  hereupon  it  is  that  I  verily  believe,  that  whatsoever 
Christ  either  did  or  suffered  in  the  i!<  -h  was  meritorious  ;  not 
that  his  life  was  righteous  towards  God,  only  that  his  death 
might  be  meritorious  for  US,  (which,  I  believe,  olherv. 
could  not  have  been,)  but  that  his  life  was  equally  meritorious 
as  righteous.  So  that  1  believe  my  person  is  aa  really  accept* 
ed,  as  perfectly  righteous,  by  the  righteousness  of  his  life  im- 
puted to  me,  as  my  sins  are  pardoned  by  God,  for  the  bitter- 
ness of  the  death  he  suffered  for  them  ;  his  righteousness  being 
as  really  by  faith  imputed  to  me,  as  my  sins  were  laid  upon 
him  :  as  these  are  set  upon  his,  so  is  that  set  upon  my  score  ; 
and  so  every  thing  he  did  in  his  life,  as  well  as  every  thing  he 
suffered  in  his  death,  is  mine  ;  by  the  latter,  God  looks  upon 
me  as  perfectly  innocent,  and  therefore  not  to  be  thrown  down 
to  hell ;  by  the  former,  he  looks  upon  me  as  perfectly  righte- 
ous, and  therefore  to  be  brought  up  to  heaven. 

And  as  for  his  death,  I  believe  it  was  not  only  as  much,  hut 
infinitely  more  satisfactory  to  divine  justice,  than  though  I 
should  have  died  to  eternity.  For  by  that  means,  justice  is 
actually  and  perfectly  satisfied  already,  which  it  could  never 
have  been  by  my  suffering  for  my  sins  myself;  for  if  justice  by 
that  means  could  ever  be  satisfied,  if  it  could  ever  say,  It  is 
enough,  it  could  not  stand  with  the  same  justice,  now  satisfied, 
still  to  inflict  punishment,  nor  by  consequence  could  the  dam- 
ned justly  scorch  in  the  flames  of  God's  wrath  for  ever.    Net- 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  57 

ther  did  the  death  of  my  Saviour  reach  only  to  the  condemning, 
but  likewise  to  the  commanding  power  of  sin  ;  it  did  not  only 
pluck  out  its  Btingi  but  likewise  deprive  it  of  its  Btrength;  so 
that  he  did  not  only  merit  by  his  death  that  I  should  never  die 
M,  but  likewise  that  I  Bhould  die  to  it.  Neither  did  he 
only  merit  by  his  life  that  I  should  be  accounted  righteous  in 
him  before  God,  but  likewise  that  I  should  be  made  righteous 
in  myself  by  God.  Yea,  1  believe  that  Christ,  by  his  death, 
hath  so  fully  discharged  the  debt  I  owe  to  God,  that  now,  for 
the  remission  of  my  sins,  and  the  accepting  of  my  person,  (if 
1  perform  the  conditions  he  requires  in  his  covenant,)  I  may 
not  only  appeal  to  the  throne  of  grace,  but  likewise  to  the 
judgment  .-eat  of  God  ;  1  may  not  only  cry,  Mercy,  mercy,  O 
gracious  Father,  but  Justice,  justice,  wiy  righteous  God.  I 
may  not  only  say.  Lord,  be  gracious  and  merciful,  but  be  just 
and  faithful,  to  acquit  me  from  that  debt,  and  cancel  that  bond 
which  my  Surety  hath  paid  for  me,  and  which  thou  hast  pro- 
mised to  accept  of;  being  not  only  gracious  and  merciful,  but 
just  and  faith  fid.  toforgiee  me  nnj  sins,  and  to  cleanse  me  from 
all  unrightcousm sst  1  John  i.  0. 


ARTICLE  VII. 

/  hi  Jit  rr  /hit  Christ  rose  from  the  grave,  that  I  might  rise  from 
sin:  and  that  he  is  ascended  into  heaven,  that  I  may  com* 
unto  him. 

kl  I  Shrist  came  from  heaven  to  earth,  so  I  believe  he  went 
from  earth  to  heaven,  and  all  for  the  accomplishment  of  my 

salvation,-  that,  after  he  had  lived  a  most  holy  life,  he  died  a 
most  cruel  death  ;  that  he  was  apprehended,  arraigned,  ac- 
cused, and  condemned,  by  such  as  could  not  pronounce  the 
sent*  nee  against  him,  did  not  himself,  at  the  same  time,  vouch- 
safe them  breath  to  do  it  ;  and  that  he  that  came  into  the  world 
to  take  away  the  sins  of  it,  to  bring  sinners  to  the  joys  of  life, 
was  himself,  by  those  very  sinners,  brought  into  the  pangs  of 
death.  But  yet,  as  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  death  long  to 
detain  the  Lord  of  life  ;  so,  though  worms  had  power  to  send 
him  to  the  jrrave,  vet  I  believe  they  had  not  power  or  time  to 
feed  upon  him  there  ;  for  he  rose  again  from  the  dead  the 
t/iird  day  :  he  lay  three  days,  that  I  might  believe  he  was  not 
alive,  but  dead  :  he  arose  the  third  day,  that  I  might  believe 
he  is  not  dead,  but  lives  :   he  descended  down  to  hell,  that  ho 


58  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

might  make  full  satisfaction  to  God's  justice  for  my  sins  ;  but 
he  is  now  ascended  up  into  heaven,  that  he  may  make  inter- 
cession to  God's  mercy  for  my  soul :  thither  I  believe  he  is 
gone,  and  there  I  believe  he  is,  not  as  a  private  person,  but 
as  the  Head  and  Saviour  of  his  church.  And  under  this  ca- 
pacity, as  I  believe  that  Christ  is  there  for  me,  so  I  am  there 
in  him  ;  for  where  the  head  is,  there  must  the  members  be  also ; 
that  is,  I  am  as  really  there  in  him,  my  representative  now,  as 
I  shall  be  in  my  own  proper  person  hereafter  ;  and  he  is  as 
really  preparing  my  mansion  for  me  there,  as  I  am  preparing 
myself  for  that  mansion  here.  Nay,  I  believe  that  he  is  not 
only  preparing  a  mansion  for  me  in  heaven,  but  that  himself 
is  likewise  preparing  me  for  this  mansion  upon  earth  ;  continu- 
ally sending  down  and  issuing  forth  from  himself  fresh  supplies 
and  influences  of  his  grace  and  Spirit ;  and  all  to  qualify  me 
for  his  service,  and  make  me  meet  to  be  partaker  of  his  inher- 
itance with  the  saints  in  light. 

Which  inheritance,  I  believe,  he  doth  not  so  much  desire 
his  Father  to  bestow  upon  me,  as  claims  it  for  me  ;  himself 
having  purchased  it  with  the  price  of  his  own  blood.  And  as 
he  hath  purchased  the  inheritance  itself,  so  likewise  the  way 
unto  it  for  me  ;  and  therefore  sues  out  for  the  pardon  of  those 
sins,  and  subduing  those  corruptions,  which  would  make  me 
unworthy  of  it ;  and  for  the  conveyance  of  those  graces  to  me, 
whereby  I  may  walk  directly  to  it :  not  only  saying  to  his  Fa- 
ther concerning  me,  as  Paul  said  to  Philemon  concerning  One- 
simus,  if  this  thy  servant  oweth  thee  any  thing,  set  it  upon  my 
account,  I  will  repay  it ;  but  what  this  thy  servant  oweth  thee, 
see  it  is  set  upon  my  score  already,  and  I  have  paid  it ;  what 
punishments  he  is  indebted  to  thee,  for  all  the  offences  he  hath 
committed  against  thee,  behold  I  have  borne  them  already  ; 
see  how  I  have  been  wounded  for  his  transgressions,  and 
bruised  for  his  iniquities ;  the  chastisement  of  his  peace  was 
upon  me;  with  my  stripes,  therefore,  let  him  be  healed,  Isa.  liii. 
5.  And  thus,  as  he  once  shed  his  blood  for  me  amongst  men, 
he  now  pleads  it  for  me  before  God  ;  and  that  not  only  for  the 
washing  out  the  guilt  of  my  transgressions,  but  likewise  for 
the  washing  away  the  filth  of  my  corruptions  ;  himself  having 
purchased  the  donation  of  the  Spirit  from  the  Father,  he  there 
claims  the  communication  of  it  unto  me. 

And,  that  he  hath  thus  undertaken  to  plead  my  cause  for  me, 
I  have  it  under  his  own  hand  and  seal ;  himself  by  his  Spirit 
assuring  me,  that  if  I  sin,  I  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father, 
even  Jesus  Christ  the  righteous,  1  John  ii.  1.  So  that  I  believe 
he  is  not  so  much  my  solicitor  at  the  mercy-seat,  as  my  advo. 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  59 

rale  at  the  judgment-seat  of  God,  there  pleading  my  right  and 
title  to  the  crown  of  glory,  and  to  every  step  of  the  way  that 
I  must  go  through  the  kingdom  of  grace  unto  it.  In  a  word, 
I  believe  that  Christ,  upon  promise  and  engagement  to  pay  such 
a  price  for  it  in  time,  did  purchase  this  inheritance  for  me  from 
eternity ;  whereupon  I  was  even  then  immediately  chosen  and 
elected  into  it ;  and  had,  by  this  means,  a  place  in  heaven,  be- 
fore I  had  any  being  upon  earth  :  and,  when  the  time  appointed 
by  covenant  was  come,  I  believe  Christ,  according  to  his  pro- 
mise, paid  the  purchase-money,  even  laid  down  his  life  for  me  ; 
and  then  forthwith  went  up  and  took  possession  of  this  my 
kingdom,  not  for  himself,  but  for  me,  as  my  proxy  and  repre- 
sentative :  so  that,  whilst  I  am  in  my  infancy,  under  age,  I  am 
in  possession,  though  I  have  not  as  yet  the  enjoyment  of  this 
my  inheritance ;  but  that  is  reserved  for  me  till  I  come  at  age. 
And  howsoever,  though  I  do  not  enjoy  the  whole  as  yet,  my  Fa- 
ther allows  me  as  much  of  it  as  he  sees  convenient,  so  much  grace 
and  so  much  comfort  as  he  thinks  best ;  which  are  as  a  pledge  of 
what  he  hath  laid  up  for  me  in  his  kingdom,  which  is  above. 


ARTICLE  VIII. 

I  believe,  that  my  person  is  only  justified  by  the  merit  of  Christ 
imputed  to  me ;  and  that  my  nature  is  only  sanctified  by  the 
Spirit  of  Christ  implanted  in  me. 

And  thus  I  do  not  only  believe  Christ  to  be  my  Saviour,  but 
I  believe  only  Christ  to  be  my  Saviour.  It  was  he  alone  that 
trod  the  wine-press  of  his  Father's  wrath,  filled  with  the  sour 
and  bitter  grapes  of  my  sins.  It  was  he  that  carried  on  the 
great  work  of  my  salvation,  being  himself  both  the  Author  and 
the  Finisher  of  it.  I  say,  it  was  he,  and  he  alone  ;  for  what 
person  or  persons  in  the  world  could  do  it  besides  himself? 
The  angels  could  not  if  they  would,  the  devils  would  not  if 
they  could  ;  and  as  for  my  fellow-creatures,  I  may  as  well 
satisfy  for  their  sins  as  they  for  mine  ;  and  how  little  able,  even 
the  best  of  us  are  to  do  either,  i.  e.  to  atone  either  for  our  own 
transgressions,  or  those  of  others,  every  man's  experience  will 
sufficiently  inform  him.  For  how  should  we,  poor  worms  of  the 
earth,  ever  hope,  by  the  slime  and  mortar  (if  I  may  so  speak) 
of  our  own  natural  abilities,  to  raise  up  a  tower,  whose  top  may 
reach  heaven?  Can  we  expect  by  the  strength  of  our  own 
hands  to  take  heaven  by  violence  ?  or  by  the  price  of  our  works 


60  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

to  purchase  eternal  glory  ?  It  is  a  matter  of  admiration  to  me, 
how  any  one  that  pretends  to  the  use  of  his  re;ison  can  ima- 
gine that  he  should  be  accepted  before  God  for  what  comes 
from  himself!  For  how  is  it  possible  that  I  should  be  justified 
by  good  works,  when  I  can  do  no  good  works  at  all  before  I 
be  first  justified  ?  My  works  cannot  be  accepted  as  good  till 
my  person  be  so  ;  nor  can  my  person  be  accepted  by  God, 
till  first  ingrafted  into  Christ ;  before  which  ingrafting  into  the 
true  vine,  it  is  impossible  I  should  bring  forth  good  fruit ;  for 
the  ploughing  of  the  wicked  is  sin,  says  Solomon,  Prov.  xxi.  4. 
yea,  the  sacrifices  of  the  ivicked  are  an  abomination  to  the  Lord, 
chap.  xv.  8.  And  if  both  the  civil  and  spiritual  actions  of  the 
wicked  be  sin,  which  of  all  their  actions  shall  have  the  honour 
to  justify  them  before  God  ?  I  know  not  how  it  is  with  others, 
but  for  my  own  part,  I  do  not  remember,  neither  do  I  believe, 
that  I  ever  prayed  in  all  my  life-time  with  that  reverence,  or 
heard  with  that  attention,  or  received  the  Sacrament  with  that 
faith,  or  did  any  other  work  whatsoever  with  that  pure  heart 
and  single  eye,  as  I  ought  to  have  done.  Insomuch  that  I  look 
upon  all  my  righteousnesses  but  as  filthy  rags ;  and  it  is  in  the 
robes  only  of  the  righteousness  of  the  Son  of  God  that  I  dare 
appear  before  the  Majesty  of  heaven.  Nay,  suppose  I  could 
at  length  attain  to  that  perfection  as  to  do  good  works,  works 
exactly  conformable  to  the  will  of  God  ;  yet  they  must  have 
better  eyes  than  I,  that  can  see  how  my  obedience  in  one  kind 
can  satisfy  for  my  disobedience  in  another  ;  or  how  that  which 
God  commands  from  me,  should  merit  any  thing  from  him. 

No  ;  I  believe  there  is  no  person  can  merit  any  thing  from 
God,  but  he  that  can  do  more  than  is  required  of  him,  which  it 
is  impossible  any  creature  should  do.  For,  in  that  it  is  a 
creature,  it  continually  depends  upon  God,  and  therefore  is 
bound  to  do  every  thing  it  can  by  any  means  possibly  do  for 
him  ;  especially  considering  that  the  creature's  dependence 
upon  God  is  such,  that  it  is  beholden  to  him  even  for  every 
action  that  issues  from  it ;  without  whom,  as  it  is  impossible 
any  thing  should  be,  so  likewise  that  any  thing  should  act,  es- 
pecially what  is  good.  So  that  to  say,  a  man  of  himself  can 
merit  any  thing  from  God,  is  as  much  as  to  say,  that  he  can 
merit  by  that  which  of  himself  he  doth  not  do  ;  or  that  one 
person  can  merit  by  that  which  another  performs,  which  is  a 
plain  contradiction.  For  in  that  it  merits,  it  is  necessarily  im- 
plied that  itself  acts  that  by  which  it  is  said  to  merit ;  but  in 
that  it  doth  not  depend  upon  itself,  but  upon  another  in  what 
it  acts,  it  is  as  necessarily  implied,  that  itself  doth  not  do  that 
by  which  it  is  said  to  merit. 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  61 

Upon  this  account,  I  shall  never  be  induced  to  believe  that 
any  creature,  by  any  thing  it  doth  or  can  do,  can  merit  or  de- 
serve any  thing  at  the  hand  of  God,  till  it  can  be  proved  that  a 
creature  can  merit  by  that  which  God  doth :  or  that  God  can 
be  bound  to  bestow  any  thing  upon  us,  for  that  which  himself 
alone  is  pleased  to  work  in  us,  and  by  us  ;  which,  in  plain 
terms,  would  be  as  much  as  to  say,  that  because  God  hath  been 
pleased  to  do  one  good  turn  for  us,  he  is  therefore  bound  to  do 
more  ;  and  because  God  hath  enabled  us  to  do  our  duty,  he 
should  therefore  be  bound  to  give  us  glory. 

It  is  not  therefore  in  the  power  of  any  person  in  the  world 
to  merit  any  thing  from  God,  but  such  a  one  who  is  absolutely 
coessential  with  him,  and  so  depends  not  upon  him,  either  for 
his  existence  or  actions.  And  as  there  is  no  person  can  merit 
any  thing  from  God,  unless  he  be  essentially  the  same  with  him, 
so  likewise  unless  he  be  personally  distinct  from  him  ;  foras- 
much as  though  a  person  may  be  said  to  merit  for  himself,  yet 
he  cannot  be  said,  without  a  gross  solecism,  to  merit  any  thing 
from  himself.  So  that  he  that  is  not  as  perfectly  another  per- 
son from  God,  as  really  the  same  in  nature  with  him,  can  never 
be  said  to  merit  any  thing  at  his  hands. 

But  farther,  God  the  Father  could  not  properly  be  said  to  do 
it  in  his  own  person,  because,  being  (according  to  our  con- 
ception) the  party  offended,  should  he  have  undertaken  this 
work  for  me,  he  in  his  own  person  must  have  undertaken  to 
make  satisfaction  to  his  own  person  for  the  offences  committed 
against  himself;  which  if  he  should  have  done,  his  mercy  might 
have  been  much  exalted,  but  his  justice  could  not  have  been 
satisfied  by  it.  For  justice  requires,  either  that  the  party  of- 
fending should  be  punished  for  these  offences,  or,  at  least,  some 
fit  person  in  his  stead,  which  the  Father  himself  cannot  be  said 
to  be,  in  that  he  was  the  party  offended,  to  whom  this  satisfac- 
tion was  to  be  made  ;  and  it  is  absurd  to  suppose,  that  the  same 
person  should  be  capable  of  making  satisfaction  both  by  and 
to  himself  at  the  same  time. 

It  remains  therefore,  that  there  were  only  two  persons  in 
the  Holy  Trinity  who  could  possibly  be  invested  with  this  ca- 
pacity ;  the  Son,  and  the  Spirit.  As  to  the  latter,  though  he 
be  indeed  the  same  in  nature  with  the  Father,  and  a  distinct 
person  from  him,  and  so  far  in  a  capacity  to  make  satisfaction 
to  him  ;  yet  not  being  capable  both  of  assuming  the  human  na- 
ture into  the  divine,  and  also  uniting  and  applying  the  divine 
nature  to  the  human,  (as  I  have  shewed  before  in  the  fifth  Ar- 
ticle,) he  was  not  in  a  capacity  of  making  satisfaction  for  man  ; 
none  being  fit  to  take  that  office  upon  him,  but  he  that  of  him- 


62  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

self  was  perfectly  God,  and  likewise  capable  of  becoming 
perfectly  man,  by  uniting  both  natures  in  the  same  person; 
which  the  Holy  Ghost  could  not  do,  because  he  was  the  per- 
son by  whom,  and  therefore  could  not  be  the  person  also  in 
whom,  this  union  of  the  two  natures  was  to  be  perfected. 
And  yet  it  was  by  this  means,  and  this  method  only,  that  any 
person  could  have  been  completely  capacitated  to  have  borne 
the  punishment  of  our  sins  :  he  that  was  only  man  could  not 
do  it,  because  the  sin  was  committed  against  God ;  and  he 
that  was  only  God  could  not  do  it,  because  the  sin  was  com- 
mitted by  man. 

From  all  which,  as  I  may  fairly  infer,  so  I  hope  I  may  safely 
fix,  my  faith  in  this  article,  viz.  that  there  was  only  one  person 
in  the  whole  world  that  could  do  this  great  work  for  me,  of 
justifying  my  person  before  God,  and  so  glorifying  my  soul 
with  him  ;  and  thut  was  the  Son  of  God,  the  second  person 
in  the  glorious  Trinity  begotten  of  the  substance  of  the  Father 
from  all  eternity ;  whom  I  apprehend  and  believe  to  have 
brought  about  the  great  work  of  my  justification  before  God, 
after  this  or  the  like  manner. 

He  being  in  and  of  himself,  perfectly  coequal,  coessential, 
and  coeternal  with  the  Father,  was  in  no  sort  bound  to  do 
more  than  the  Father  himself  did ;  and  so  whatsoever  he 
should  do  which  the  Father  did  not,  might  justly  be  accounted 
as  a  work  of  supererogation  ;  which,  without  any  violation  of 
divine  justice,  might  be  set  upon  the  account  of  some  other 
persons,  even  of  such  whom  he  pleased  to  do  it  for.  And 
hereupon,  out  of  mercy  and  compassion  to  fallen  man,  he 
covenants  with  his  Father,  that  if  it  pleased  his  Majesty  to 
accept  it,  he  would  take  upon  him  the  suffering  of  those  pu- 
nishments which  were  due  from  him  to  man,  and  the  per- 
formance of  those  duties  which  were  due  from  man  to  him  ; 
so  that  whatsoever  he  should  thus  humble  himself  to  do  or 
suffer,  should  wholly  be  upon  the  account  of  man,  himself  not 
being  any  ways  bound  to  do  or  suffer  more  in  time,  than  he 
had  from  eternity. 

This  motion  the  Father,  out  of  the  riches  of  his  grace  and 
mercy,  was  pleased  to  consent  unto  :  and  hereupon,  the  Son 
assuming  our  nature  into  his  Deity,  becomes  subject  and  obe- 
dient both  to  the  moral  and  ceremonial  laws  of  his  Father  ; 
and  at  last  to  death  itself,  even  the  death  of  the  cross.  In  the 
one  he  paid  an  active,  in  the  other  a  passive  obedience  ;  and 
so  did  not  only  fulfil  the  will  of  his  Father  in  obeying  what  he 
had  commanded,  but  satisfied  his  justice  in  suffering  the  pu- 
nishment due  to  us  for  the  transgressing  of  it.     His   active 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  63 

obedience,  as  it  was  infinitely  pure  and  perfect,  did  without 
doubt  infinitely  transcend  all  the  obedience  of  the  sons  of  men, 
even  of  Adam  too  in  his  primitive  state.  For  the  obedience  of 
Adam,  make  the  best  of  it,  was  but  the  obedience  of  a  finite 
creature  ;  whereas  the  obedience  of  Christ  was  the  obedience 
of  one  that  was  infinite  God,  as  well  as  man.  By  which  means 
the  laws  of  God  had  higher  obedience  performed  to  them,  than 
themselves  in  their  primitive  institution  required  ;  for  being 
made  only  to  finite  creatures,  they  could  command  no  more 
than  the  obedience  of  finite  creatures  ;  whereas  the  obedience 
of  Christ  was  the  obedience  of  one  who  was  the  infinite  Creator, 
as  well  as  a  finite  creature. 

Now  this  obedience  being  more  than  Christ  was  bound  to, 
and  only  performed  upon  the  account  of  those  whose  nature 
he  had  assumed,  as  we  by  faith  lay  hold  upon  it,  so  God  through 
grace  imputes  it  to  us,  as  if  it  had  been  performed  by  us  in 
our  own  persons.  And  hence  it  is,  that  as  in  one  place  Christ 
is  said  to  be  made  sin  for  us,  2  Cor.  v.  2 1.  so  in  another  place 
he  is  said  to  be  made  our  righteousness,  1  Cor.  i.  30.  And 
in  the  forecited  place,  2  Cor.  v.  21.  as  he  is  said  to  be  made 
sin  for  us,  so  we  are  said  to  be  made  righteousness  in  him. 
But  what  righteousness  ?  Our  own  ?  No,  the  righteousness 
of  God,  radically  his,  but  imputatively  ours:  and  this  is  the 
only  way  whereby  we  are  said  to  be  made  the  righteousness  of 
God,  even  by  the  righteousness  of  Christ's  being  made  ours, 
by  which  we  are  accounted  and  reputed  as  righteous  before 
God. 

These  things  considered,  I  very  much  wonder  how  any 
man  can  presume  to  exclude  the  active  obedience  of  Christ 
from  our  justification  before  God  ;  as  if  what  Christ  did  in  the 
flesh  was  only  of  duty,  not  at  all  of  merit ;  or  as  if  it  was  for 
himself  and  not  for  us.  Especially  when  I  consider,  that  suf- 
fering the  penalty  is  not  what  the  law  primarily  requireth  ;  for 
the  law  of  God  requires  perfect  obedience,  the  penalty  being 
only  threatened  to,  not  properly  required  of,  the  breakers  of 
it.  For,  let  a  man  suffer  the  penalty  of  the  law  in  never  so 
high  a  manner,  he  is  not  therefore  accounted  obedient  to  it ; 
his  punishment  doth  not  speak  his  innocence,  but  rather  his 
transgression  of  the  law. 

Hence  it  is,  that  I  cannot  look  upon  Christ  as  having  made 
full  satisfaction  to  God's  justice  for  me,  unless  he  had  per- 
formed the  obedience  I  owe  to  God's  laws,  as  well  as  borne  the 
punishment  that  is  due  to  my  sins  :  for,  though  he  should  have 
borne  my  sins,  I  cannot  see  how  that  could  denominate  me 
righteous  or  obedient  to  the  law,  so  as  to  entitle  me  to  eternal 


64  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

life,  according  to  the  tenor  of  the  old  law,  Do  this  and  live, 
Lev.  xviii.  5.  Which  old  covenant  is  not  disannulled  or  abro- 
gated by  the  covenant  of  grace,  but  rather  established,  Rom. 
iii.  31.  especially  as  to  the  obedience  it  requires  from  us  in 
order  to  the  life  it  promiseth ;  otherwise  the  laws  of  God  would 
be  mutable,  and  so  come  short  of  the  laws  of  the  very  Medes 
and  Persians,  which  altered  not.  Obedience  therefore  is  as 
strictly  required  under  the  New,  as  it  was  under  the  Old  Tes- 
tament, but  with  this  difference  ;  there,  obedience  in  our  own 
persons  was  required  as  absolutely  necessary  ;  here,  obedience 
in  our  Surety  is  accepted  as  completely  sufficient. 

But  now,  if  we  have  no  such  obedience  in  our  Surety,  (as 
we  cannot  have  if  he  did  not  live  as  well  as  die  for  us,)  let  any 
one  tell  me  what  title  he  hath,  or  can  have,  to  eternal  life  1  I 
suppose  he  will  tell  me  he  hath  none  in  himself,  because  he 
hath  not  performed  perfect  obedience  to  the  law.  And  I  tell 
him,  he  hath  none  in  Christ,  unless  Christ  performed  that 
obedience  for  him,  which  none  can  say  he  did,  that  doth  not 
believe  his  active  as  well  as  passive  obedience  to  be  wholly 
upon  our  account. 

And  now  I  speak  of  Christ's  being  our  Surety,  as  the  Apos- 
tle calls  him,  Heb.  vii.  22.  methinks  this  gives  much  light  to 
the  truth  in  hand  :  for  what  is  a  surety,  but  one  that  under- 
takes to  pay  whatsoever  he,  whose  surety  he  is,  is  bound  to 
pay,  in  case  the  debtor  prove  non-solvent,  or  unable  to  pay  it 
himself?  And  thus  is  Christ,  under  the  notion  of  a  surety, 
bound  to  pay  whatever  we  owe  to  God,  because  we  ourselves 
are  not  able  to  pay  it  in  our  own  persons. 

Now  there  are  two  things  that  we  owe  to  God,  which  this 
our  Surety  is  bound  to  pay  for  us,  viz.  first  and  principally, 
obedience  to  his  laws,  as  he  is  our  Creator  and  Governor  ;  and* 
secondly,  by  consequence,  the  punishment  that  is  annexed  to 
the  breach  of  these  laws,  of  which  we  are  guilty.  Now,  though 
Christ  should  pay  the  latter  part  of  our  debt  for  us,  by  bearing 
the  punishment  that  is  due  unto  us  ;  yet,  if  he  did  not  pay  the 
former  and  principal  part  of  it  too,  i.  e.  perform  the  obedience 
which  we  owe  to  God,  he  would  not  fully  have  performed  the 
office  of  suretiship  which  he  undertook  for  us  ;  and  so  would 
be  but  a  half-mediator,  or  half-saviour,  which  are  such  words 
as  I  dare  scarce  pronounce,  for  fear  of  blasphemy. 

So  that,  though  it  is  the  death  of  Christ  by  which  I  believe 
my  sins  are  pardoned,  yet  it  is  the  life  of  Christ  by  which  I 
believe  my  person  is  accepted.  His  passion  God  accounts  as 
suffered  by  me,  and  therefore  I  shall  not  die  for  sin  :  his  obe- 
dience God  accounts  as  performed  by  me,  and  therefore  I  shall 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  65 

live  with  him.  Not  as  if  I  believed,  that  Christ  so  performed 
obedience  for  me  that  I  should  be  discharged  from  my  duty  to 
him  ;  but  only  that  1  should  not  be  condemned  by  God  in 
not  discharging  my  duty  to  him  in  so  strict  a  manner  as  is  re- 
quired. I  believe  the  active  obedience  of  Christ  will  stand  me 
in  no  stead,  unless  I  endeavour  after  sincere  obedience  in  mine 
own  person  ;  his  active  as  well  as  his  passive  obedience  being 
imputed  unto  none,  but  only  to  such  as  apply  it  to  themselves 
by  faith ;  which  faith  in  Christ  will  certainly  put  such  as 
are  possessed  of  it  upon  obedience  unto  God.  This  therefore 
is  the  righteousness,  and  the  manner  of  that  justification, 
whereby  I  hope  to  stand  before  the  judgment-seat  of  God ; 
even  by  God's  imputing  my  sins  to  Christ,  and  Christ's  righ- 
teousness to  me ;  looking  upon  me  as  one  not  to  be  punished 
for  my  sins,  because  Christ  hath  suffered,  but  to  be  received 
into  the  joys  of  glory,  because  Christ  hath  performed  obedi- 
ence for  me,  and  does  by  faith,  through  grace,  impute  it  to  me. 

And  thus  it  is  into  the  merit  of  Christ  that  I  resolve  the 
whole  work  of  my  salvation  ;  and  this  not  only  as  to  that  which 
is  wrought  without  me  for  the  justification  of  my  person,  but 
likewise  as  to  what  is  wrought  within  me  for  the  sanctification  of 
my  nature.  As  I  cannot  have  a  sin  pardoned  without  Christ, 
so  neither  can  I  have  a  sin  subdued  without  him  ;  neither  the 
fire  of  God's  wrath  can  be  quenched,  nor  yet  the  filth  of  my 
sins  washed  away,  but  by  the  blood  of  Christ. 

So  that  I  wonder  as  much  at  the  doctrine  that  some  men 
have  advanced  concerning  free-will,  as  I  do  at  that  which 
others  have  broached  in  favour  of  good  works  ;  and  it  is  a 
mystery  to  me,  how  any  that  ever  had  experience  of  God's 
method  in  working  out  sin,  and  planting  grace  in  our  hearts, 
should  think  they  can  do  it  by  themselves,  or  any  thing  in  or- 
der to  it.  Not  that  I  do  in  the  least  question  but  that  every 
man  may  be  saved  that  will ;  (for  this  I  believe  is  a  real  truth ;) 
but  I  do  not  believe,  that  any  man  of  himself  can  will  to  be 
saved.  Wheresoever  God  enables  a  soul  effectually  to  will 
salvation,  he  will  certainly  give  salvation  to  that  soul ;  but  I 
believe  that  it  is  impossible  for  any  soul  to  will  salvation  of  him- 
self, as  to  enjoy  salvation  without  God. 

And  this  my  faith  is  not  grounded  upon  a  roving  fancy,  but 
the  most  solid  reasons  :  forasmuch  as  of  ourselves  we  are  not 
able  in  our  understandings  to  discern  the  evil  from  the  good  ; 
much  less  then  are  we  able  in  our  wills  to  prefer  the  good  be- 
fore the  evil ;  the  will  never  settling  upon  any  thing  but  what 
the  judgment  discovers  to  it.  But  now,  that  my  natural  judg- 
ment is  unable  to  apprehend  and  represent  to  my  will  the  true 

F  2 


06  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

and  only  good  under  its  proper  notion,  my  own  too  sad  expe- 
rience could  sufficiently  persuade  me,  though  I  had  neither 
Scripture  nor  reason  for  it.  And  yet,  the  Scripture  also  is  so 
clear  in  this  point,  that  I  could  not  have  denied  it,  though  I 
should  never  have  had  any  experience  of  it ;  the  Most  High 
expressly  telling  me,  that  the  natural  man  reccireth  not  the 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  vnto  him; 
neither  can  he  know  them,  because  they  are  spiritually  discern- 
ed, 1  Cor.  ii.  14.  Neither  can  he  know  them,  i.  c.  there  is 
an  absolute  impossibility  in  it,  that  any  one  remaining  in  his 
natural  principles,  without  the  assistance  of  God,  should  ap- 
prehend or  conceive  the  excellency  of  spiritual  objects.  So 
that  a  man  may  as  soon  read  the  letter  of  the  Scripture  with- 
out eyes,  as  understand  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel  without 
grace.  And  this  is  not  at  all  to  be  wondered  at ;  especially  if 
we  consider  the  vast  and  infinite  disproportion  betwixt  the  ob- 
ject and  the  faculty  ;  the  object  to  be  apprehended  being  no- 
thing less  than  the  best  of  beings,  God  ;  and  the  faculty 
whereby  we  apprehend  it,  nothing  more  than  the  power  of  a 
finite  creature,  polluted  with  the  worst  of  evils,  sin. 

So  that  I  believe  it  is  a  thousand  times  easier  for  a  worm,  a 
fly,  or  any  other  despicable  insect  whatsoever,  to  understand 
the  affairs  of  men,  than  for  the  best  of  men  in  a  natural  state 
to  apprehend  the  things  of  God.  No  ;  there  is  none  can  know 
God,  nor  by  consequence  any  thing  that  is  really  good,  but. 
only  so  fur  as  they  are  partakers  of  the  divine  nature  :  we  must 
in  some  measure  be  like  to  God,  before  we  can  have  any  true 
conceptions  of  him,  or  be  really  delighted  with  him  :  we  must 
have  a  spiritual  sight,  before  we  can  behold  spiritual  things  ; 
which  every  natural  man  being  destitute  of,  he  can  see  no 
comeliness  in  Christ,  why  he  should  be  desired  ;  nor  any  amia- 
bleness  in  religion,  why  it  should  be  embraced. 

And  hence  it  is  that  I  believe,  the  first  work  which  God  puts 
forth  upon  the  soul  in  order  to  its  conversion,  is  to  raise  up  a 
spiritual  light  within  it,  to  clear  up  its  apprehensions  about 
spiritual  matters,  so  as  to  enable  the  soul  to  look  upon  God  as 
the  chiefest  good,  and  the  enjoyment  of  him  as  the  greatest 
bliss  ;  whereby  the  soul  may  clearly  discern  betwixt  good  and 
evil,  and  evidently  perceive  that  nothing  is  good  but  so  far  as 
it  is  like  to  God  ;  and  nothing  evil,  but  so  far  as  it  resembles  sin. 

But  this  is  not  all  the  work  that  God  hath  to  do  upon  a  sinful 
soul,  to  bring  it  to  himself;  for  though  I  must  confess,  that  in 
natural  things  the  will  always  follows  the  ultimate  dictates  of 
the  understanding,  so  as  to  choose  and  embrace  what  the  un- 
derstanding represents  to  it,  under  the  comely  dress  of  good 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  67 

and  amiable,  and  to  refuse  and  abhor  whatever  under  the  same 
representation  appears  to  be  evil  and  dangerous  ;  I  say,  though 
I  must  confess  it  is  so  in  natural,  yet  I  believe  it  is  not  so  in 
spiritual  matters.  For  though  the  understanding  may  have 
never  such  clear  apprehensions  of  spiritual  good,  yet  the  will 
is  not  at  all  affected  with  it,  without  the  joint  operations  of  the 
grace  of  God  upon  us  ;  all  of  us  too  sadly  experiencing  what 
St.  Paul  long  ago  bewailed  in  himself,  that  what  we  do,  we 
allow  not,  Rom.  vii.  15.  that  though  our  judgments  condemn 
what  we  do,  yet  we  cannot  choose  but  do  it ;  though  our  un- 
derstandings clearly  discover  to  us  the  excellency  of  grace  and 
glory,  yet  our  wills,  overpowered  with  their  own  corruptions, 
are  strangely  hurried  into  sin  and  misery.  I  must  confess,  it 
is  a  truth  which  I  should  scarcely  have  ever  believed,  if  I  had 
not  such  daily  experience  of  it :  but,  alas !  there  is  scarce  an 
hour  in  a  day,  but  I  may  go  about  lamenting,  with  Medea  in 
Seneca,  Video  meliora,  proboque ;  deteriora  sequor :  though  I 
see  what  is  good,  yea,  and  judge  it  to  be  the  better,  yet  I  very 
often  choose  the  worse. 

And  the  reason  of  it  is,  because  as  by  our  fall  from  God  the 
whole  soul  was  desperately  corrupted,  so  it  is  not  the  rectifying 
of  one  faculty  which  can  make  the  whole  straight ;  but  as  the 
whole  was  changed  from  holiness  to  sin,  so  must  the  whole  be 
changed  again  from  sin  to  holiness,  before  it  can  be  inserted 
into  a  state  of  grace,  or  so  much  as  an  act  of  grace  be  ex- 
erted in  it. 

Now  therefore,  the  understanding  and  will  being  two  distinct 
faculties,  or  at  least  two  distinct  acts  in  the  soul,  it  is  possible 
for  tiie  understanding  to  be  so  enlightened,  as  to  prefer  the 
good  before  the  evil,  and  yet  for  the  will  to  remain  so  corrupt, 
as  to  choose  the  evil  before  the  good.  And  hence  it  is,  that 
where  God  intends  to  work  over  a  soul  to  himself,  he  doth  not 
only  pass  an  enlightening  act  upon  the  understanding  and  its 
apprehensions,  but  likewise  a  sanctifying  act  upon  the  will  and 
its  affections,  that  when  the  soul  perceives  the  glory  of  God, 
and  the  beauty  of  holiness,  it  may  presently  close  with,  and 
entertain  it  with  the  choicest  of  its  affections.  And  without 
God's  thus  drawing  it,  the  understanding  could  never  allure 
the  soul  to  good. 

And  therefore  it  is,  that  for  all  the  clear  discoveries  which 
the  understanding  may  make  to  itself  concerning  the  glorie9 
of  the  invisible  world,  yet  God  assures  us,  it  is  himself  alone 
that  affects  the  soul  with  them,  by  inclining  its  will  to  them  : 
for  it  is  God  which  worketh  in  us  both  to  will  and  to  do  of 
Ju3  own  good  pleasure,  Phil.  ii.  13.     So  that  though  God  offer 


68  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

heaven  to  all  that  will  accept  of  it  in  his  holy  Scripture  ;  yet 
none  can  accept  of  it  but  such  whom  himself  stirs  up  by  his 
holy  Spirit  to  endeavour  after  it.  And  thus  we  find  it  was  in 
Israel's  return  from  Babylon  to  Jerusalem,  though  King  Cyrus 
made  a  proclamation,  that  whosoever  would,  might  go  up  to 
worship  at  the  holy  city,  Ezra  i.  3.  yet  there  was  none  that 
accepted  of  the  offer,  but  those  whose  spirit  God  had  raised  to 
go  up,  ver.  5.  So  here,  though  God  doth,  as  it  were,  proclaim 
to  all  the  world,  that  whosoever  will  come  to  Christ  shall  cer- 
tainly be  saved ;  yet  it  doth  not  follow  that  all  shall  receive 
salvation  from  him,  because  it  is  certain  all  will  not  come  ;  or 
rather  none  can  will  to  come,  unless  God  enables  them. 

I  am  sure,  to  say  none  shall  be  saved  but  those  that  will  of 
themselves,  would  be  sad  news  for  me,  whose  will  is  naturally 
so  backward  to  every  thing  that  is  good.  But  this  is  my  com- 
fort, I  am  as  certain  my  salvation  is  of  God,  as  I  am  certain  it 
cannot  be  of  myself.  It  is  Christ  who  vouchsafed  to  die  for 
me,  who  hath  likewise  promised  to  live  within  me  ;  it  is  he  that 
will  work  all  my  works,  both  for  me  and  in  me  too.  In  a  word, 
it  is  to  him  I  am  beholden  not  only  for  my  spiritual  blessings 
and  enjoyments,  but  even  for  my  temporal  ones  too,  which  in 
and  through  his  name  I  daily  put  up  my  petitions  for.  So  that 
I  have  not  so  much  as  a  morsel  of  bread  in  mercy  from  God, 
but  only  upon  the  account  of  Christ ;  not  a  drop  of  drink  but 
what  flows  unto  me  in  his  blood.  It  is  he  that  is  the  very 
blessing  of  all  my  blessings,  without  whom  my  very  mercies 
would  prove  but  curses,  and  my  prosperity  would  but  Work  my 
ruin. 

Whither  therefore  should  I  go,  my  dear  and  blessed  Saviour, 
but  unto  thee  1  Thou  hast  the  words  of  eternal  life.  And  how 
shall  I  come,  but  by  thee  ?  Thou  hast  the  treasures  of  all  grace. 
O  thou,  that  hast  wrought  out  my  salvation  for  me,  be  pleased 
likewise  to  work  this  salvation  in  me  !  Give  me,  T  beseech  thee, 
such  a  measure  of  thy  grace,  as  to  believe  in  thee  here  upon 
earth,  and  then  give  me  such  degrees  of  glory,  as  fully  to  enjoy 
thee  for  ever  in  heaven  1 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  69 


ARTICLE  IX. 

J  believe  God  entered  into  a  double  covenant  with  man,  the  cove- 
nant of  ivorks  made  with  the  first,  and  the  covenant  of  grace 
made  in  the  second  Adam. 

That  the  most  high  God  should  take  a  piece  of  earth,  work 
it  up  into  the  frame  and  fashion  of  a  man,  and  breathe  into  his 
nostrils  the  breath  of  life,  and  then  should  enter  into  a  covenant 
with  it,  and  should  say,  Do  this  and  live,  when  man  was  bound 
to  do  it,  whether  he  could  live  by  it  or  no,  was,  without  doubt, 
a  great  and  amazing  act  of  love  and  condescension  ;  but  that, 
when  this  covenant  was  unhappily  broken  by  the  first,  God 
should  instantly  vouchsafe  to  renew  it  in  the  second  Adam,  and 
that  too  upon  better  terms,  and  more  easy  conditions  than  the 
former,  was  yet  a  more  surprising  mercy :  for,  the  same  day 
that  Adam  ate  of  the  forbidden  fruit,  did  God  make  him  this 
promise,  that  the  seed  of  the  woman  should  break  the  serpent's 
head,  Gen.  iii.  15.  And  this  promise  he  afterwards  explained 
and  confirmed  by  the  mouth  of  his  prophet  Jeremiah,  saying, 
This  is  the  covenant  that  I  will  make  with  the  house  of  Israel ; 
after  those  days,  I  will  put  my  law  into  their  inward  parts,  and 
write  it  in  their  hearts ;  and  I  will  be  to  them  a  God,  and  they 
shall  be  to  me  a  people,  Jer.  xxxi.  33.  And  again  by  St.  Paul, 
under  the  New  Testament,  almost  in  the  self-sanje  words,  Heb. 
viii.  10. 

A  covenant  so  gracious  and  condescending,  that  it  seems 
to  be  made  up  of  nothing  else  but  promises.  The  first  was, 
properly  speaking,  a  covenant  of  works,  requiring  on  man's 
part  a  perfect  and  unsinning  obedience,  without  any  extraor- 
dinary grace  or  assistance  from  God,  to  enable  him  to  perform 
it ;  but  here,  in  the  second,  God  undertakes  both  for  himself 
and  for  man  too,  having  digested  the  conditions  to  be  per- 
formed by  us,  into  promises  to  be  fulfilled  by  himself,  viz. 
that  he  will  not  only  pardon  our  sins  if  we  do  repent,  but  that 
he  will  give  us  repentance,  that  so  we  may  deserve  his  pardon  ; 
that  he  will  not  only  give  us  life  if  we  come  to  Christ,  but  even 
draw  us  to  Christ,  that  so  he  may  give  us  life  ;  and  so,  not 
only  make  us  happy  if  we  will  be  holy,  but  make  us  holy,  that 
so  we  may  be  happy  :  for  the  covenant  is,  not  that  he  will  be 
our  God,  if  we  will  be  his  people,  but  he  will  be  our  God, 
and  we  shall  be  his  people.  But  still,  all  this  is  in  and  through 
Christ,  the  Surety  and  Mediator  of  this  covenant,  in  whom  all 
the  promises  are  Yea  and  Amen,  2  Cor.  i.  20.  So  that  Cjirist 


70  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

may  be  looked  upon  not  only  as  a  surety,  but  as  a  party  in  this 
covenant  of  grace,  being  not  only  bound  to  God,  but  likewise 
covenanting  with  him  for  us.  As  God-man  he  is  a  surety  for 
us,  but  as  man  he  must  needs  be  a  party  with  us,  even  our 
head  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  as  Adam  was  in  the  covenant 
of  works. 

What,  therefore,  though  I  can  do  nothing  in  this  covenant 
of  myself,  yet  this  is  my  comfort,  that  he  hath  undertaken  for 
me  who  can  do  all  things.  And  therefore  is  it  called  a  cove- 
nant of  grace,  and  not  of  works,  because  in  it  there  is  no  work 
required  from  me,  but  what  by  grace  I  shall  be  enabled  to  per- 
form. 

And  as  for  the  tenor  in  which  this  covenant  runs,  or  the 
habendum  and  grant  which  each  party  covenants  for,  it  is  ex- 
press in  these  words,  J  will  be  your  God,  and  you  shall  be 
my  people.  God  covenants  with  us,  that  we  shall  be  his  peo- 
ple ;  we  covenant  with  God,  that  he  shall  be  our  God.  And, 
what  can  God  stipulate  more  to  us,  or  we  restipulate  more  to 
him,  than  this  ?  What  doth  not  God  promise  to  us,  when  he 
promises  to  be  our  God  ?  and  what  doth  he  not  require  from 
us,  when  he  requires  us  to  be  his  people  ? 

First,  he  doth  not  say,  I  will  be  your  hope,  your  help,  your 
light,  your  life,  your  sun,  your  shield,  and  your  exceeding 
great  reward  ;  but  I  will  be  your  God,  which  is  ten  thousand 
times  more  than  possibly  can  be  couched  under  any  other  ex- 
pressions whatsover,  as  containing  under  it  whatsoever  God  is, 
whatsoever  God  hath,  and  whatsoever  God  can  do.  All  his 
essential  attributes  are  still  engaged  for  us ;  we  may  lay  claim 
to  them,  and  take  hold  on  them :  so  that  what  the  Prophet 
saith  of  his  righteousness  an  d  strength,  surely  shall  one  say, 
In  the  Lord,  have  I  righteousness  and  strength,  Isa.  xlv.  24. 
I  may  extend  to  all  his  other  attributes,  and  say,  Surely  in  the 
Lord  have  I  mercy  to  pardon  me,  wisdom  to  instruct  me, 
power  to  protect  me,  truth  to  direct  me,  grace  to  crown  my 
heart  on  earth,  and  glory  to  crown  my  head  in  heaven  :  and  if 
what  he  is,  then  much  more  what  he  hath,  is  here  made  over 
by  covenant  to  me.  He  that  spared  not  his  own  Son,  saith  the 
apostle,  but  delivered  him  up  for  us  all ;  how  shall  he  not  but 
with  him  likewise  freely  give  us  all  things  ?  Rom.  viii.  32. 
But  what  hath  God  to  give  me  ?  Why,  all  he  hath  is  briefly 
summed  up  in  this  short  inventory  ;  whatsoever  is  in  heaven 
above,  or  in  earth  beneath,  is  his  ;  and  that  this  inventory  is 
true,  I  have  several  witnesses  to  prove  it ;  Melchisedech,  Gen. 
xiv.  19.  and  Moses,  Deut.  x.  14.  and  David,  1  Chron.  xxix. 
1 1 .     Indeed,  reason  itself  will  conclude  this,  that  he  that  is 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  71 

the  Creator  and  Preserver,  must,  of  necessity,  be  the  Owner 
and  Possessor,  of  all  things  ;  so  that  let  me  imagine  what  pos- 
sibly I  can  in  all  the  world,  I  may,  with  the  pen  of  reason, 
write  under  it,  This  is  God's ;  and  if  I  take  but  the  pen  of 
faith  with  it,  I  may  write,   This  is  mine  in  Jesus  Christ. 

As  for  example ;  Hath  he  a  Son  ?  he  hath  died  for  me. 
Hath  he  a  Spirit  ?  it  shall  live  within  me.  Is  earth  his  ?  it 
shall  be  my  provision.  Is  heaven  his  ?  it  shall  be  my  portion. 
Hath  he  angels  ?  they  shall  guard  me.  Hath  he  comforts  ? 
they  shall  support  me.  Hath  he  grace  ?  that  shall  make  me 
holy.  Hath  he  glory  ?  that  shall  make  me  happy.  For  the 
Lord  will  give  grace  and  glory,  and  no  good  thing  will  he 
withhold  from  those  that  walk  uprightly,  Ps.  lxxxiv.    11. 

And  as  he  is  nothing  but  what  he  is  unto  us,  so  he  doth  nothing 
but  what  he  doth  for  us.  So  that  whatsoever  God  doth  by  his 
i  ordinary  providence,  or  (if  our  necessity  requires)  whatsoever 
I  he  can  do  by  his  extraordinary  power,  I  may  be  sure  he  doth 
and  will  do  for  me.  Now  he  hath  given  himself  to  me,  and 
taken  me  unto  himself,  what  will  he  not  do  for  me  that  he  can  ? 
And  what  can  he  not  do  for  me  that  he  will  ?  Do  I  want  food  ? 
God  can  drop  down  manna  from  the  clouds,  Exod.  xvi.  4.  or 
bid  the  quails  come  down  and  feed  me  with  their  own  flesh,  as 
J  they  did  the  Israelites,  ver.  13.  or  he  can  send  the  ravens  to 
I  bring  me  bread  and  flesh,  as  they  did  his  prophet  Elijah, 
|  1  Kings  xvii.  6.  Am  I  thirsty  ?  God  can  broach  the  rocks, 
and  dissolve  the  flints  into  floods  of  water,  as  he  did  for  Israel, 
Deut.  viii.  15.  Am  I  cast  into  a  fiery  furnace  ?  He  can  sus- 
pend the  fury  of  the  raging  flames,  as  he  did  for  Shadrach, 
Meshach,  and  Abednego,  Dan.  hi.  25.  Am  I  thrown  amongst 
the  devouring  lions  ?  He  can  stop  their  mouths,  and  make 
them  as  harmless  lambs  as  he  did  for  Daniel,  Dan.  vi.  22.  Am 
I  ready  to  be  swallowed  up  by  the  merciless  waves  of  the  tem- 
pestuous ocean  ?  God  can  command  a  fish  to  come  and  ship 
me  safe  to  land,  and  that  in  its  own  belly,  as  he  did  for  his  pro- 
phet Jonah,  Jon.  i.  17.  ii.  10.  Am  I  in  prison  ?  God  can  but 
speak  the  word,  as  he  did  for  St.  Peter,  and  the  chains  shall 
immediately  fall  off,  and  the  doors  fly  open,  and  I  shall  be  set 
at  liberty,  as  he  was,  Acts  xii.  7,  8,  9,  10.  And  thus  I  can 
have  no  wants  but  God  can  supply  them,  no  doubts  but  God 
can  resolve  them,  no  fears  but  God  can  dispel  them,  no  dan- 
gers but  God  can  prevent  them.  And  it  is  as  certain  that  he 
will,  as  that  he  can,  do  these  things  for  me,  himself  having  by 
covenant  engaged  and  given  himself  unto  me. 

And  as  in  God's  giving  himself,  he  hath  given  whatsoever  he 
is,  and  whatsoever  he  hath,  unto  me,  and  will  do  whatsoever 


72  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

he  can  do  for  me  ;  so  in  my  giving  myself  to  him,  whatsoever 
I  have  I  am  to  give  to  him,  and  whatsoever  I  do  I  am  to  do  for 
him.  But  now,  though  we  should  thus  give  ourselves  up  wholly 
to  God,  and  do  whatever  he  requires  of  us,  (which  none,  I  fear, 
without  some  degree  of  presumption,  can  say  lie  has  done,) 
yet  there  is  an  infinite  disproportion  betwixt  the  grant  on  God's 
part,  and  that  on  ours,  in  that  he  is  God,  and  we  but  creatures, 
the  workmanship  of  his  own  hands,  to  whom  it  was  our  duty 
to  give  ourselves,  whether  he  had  ever  given  himself  to  us  or 
no  :  he  is  ours  by  covenant  only,  not  by  nature  ;  we  are  his 
both  by  covenant  and  nature  too. 

Hence  we  may  infer,  that  it  is  not  only  our  duty  to  do  what 
he  hath  commanded  us,  because  he  hath  said,  Do  this  and  live; 
but  because  he  hath  said,  Do  this  ;  yea,  though  be  should  say, 
Do  this  and  die,  it  would  still  be  our  duty  to  do  it,  because  we 
are  his,  wholly  of  his  making,  and  therefore  wholly  at  his  dis- 
posing ;  insomuch  that  should  he  put  me  upon  doing  that  which 
would  inevitably  bring  ruin  upon  me,  I  am  not  to  neglect  obey- 
ing him  for  fear  of  destroying  myself,  his  will  and  pleasure 
being  infinitely  to  be  preferred  before  my  life  and  salvation. 

But  if  it  were  my  duty  to  obey  his  commands,  though  I  should 
die  for  it,  how  much  more  when  he  hath  promised  1  shall  live 
by  it  ?  Nay,  I  shall  not  only  live,  if  1  obey  ;  but  my  obedience 
itself  shall  be  my  life  and  happiness  ;  for  if  1  be  obedient  unto 
him,  he  is  pleased  to  account  himself  as  glorified  1>.  me;  for 
herein  is  my  Father  glorified,  if  ye  bring  forth  -much  fruit,  John 
xv.  8.  Now,  what  greater  glory  can  possibly  be  desired,  than 
to  glorify  my  Maker  ?  How  can  I  be  more  glorified  by  God, 
than  to  have  God  glorified  by  me  ?  It  is  the  glory  of  God  to 
glorify  himself;  and  what  higher  glory  can  a  creature  aspire 
after,  than  that  which  is  the  infinite  glory  of  its  all-glorious 
Creator  ?  It  is  not  therefore  my  duty  only,  but  my  glory,  to 
give  myself,  and  whatsoever  I  am,  unto  him,  to  glorify  him  both 
in  my  body  and  in  my  spirit,  which  arc  his,  1  Cor.  vi.  20.  to  lay 
out  whatsoever  I  have  for  him,  to  honour  him  with  all  my  sub- 
stance, Prov.  iii.  9.  and  whether  1  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  I 
do,  to  do  all  to  his  glory,  1  Cor.  x.  31.  Not  as  if  it  was  pos- 
sible for  God  to  receive  more  glory  from  me  now,  than  he  had 
himself  from  all  eternity.  No ;  he  was  infinitely  glorious  then, 
and  it  is  impossible  for  him  to  be  more  glorious  now  :  all  that 
we  can  do  is  duly  to  acknowledge  that  glory  which  he  hath  in 
himself,  and  to  manifest  it,  as  we  ought,  before  others  ;  which, 
though  it  be  no  addition  to  his  glory,  yet  it  is  the  perfection  of 
ours,  which  he  is  pleased  to  account  as  his. 

As  for  the  grant,  therefore,  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  I  be- 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  73 

lieve  it  to  be  the  same  on  our  parts,  with  that  in  the  covenant 
of  works,  i.  e.  that  we  Christians  are  as  much  bound  to  obey 
the  commands  he  lays  upon  us  now,  as  the  Jews  under  the  old 
covenant  were.  What  difference  there  is,  is  wholly  and  solely 
on  God's  part ;  who,  instead  of  expecting  obedience  from  us. 
is  pleased  in  this  new  covenant  to  give  this  obedience  to  us. 
Instead  of  saying)  Do  this  and  live,  he  hath  in  effect  said,  I 
will  enable  you  to  do  this,  that  so  you  may  live.  I  will  put  my 
laws  into  your  minds,  and  write  them  in  your  hearts  ;  and  I  will 
be  to  you  a  God,  and  you  shall  be  to  me  a  people,  Heb.  viii.  10. 
Not,  I  will,  if  you  will  ;  but,  I  will,  and  you  shall.  Not,  if  you 
will  do  this,  you  shall  live  ;  but  you  shall  do  this  and  live.  So 
that  God  doth  not  require  less  from  us,  but  only  hath  promised 
more  to  us  in  the  new,  than  he  did  in  the  old  covenant.  There 
we  were  to  perform  obedience  to  God,  but  it  was  by  our  own 
strength  :  here,  we  are  to  perform  the  same  obedience  still, 
but  it  is  by  his  strength.  Nay,  as  we  have  more  obligations 
to  obedience  upon  us  now  than  we  had  before,  by  reason  of 
God's  expressing  more  grace  and  favour  to  us  than  formerly 
he  did  ;  so  I  believe  God  expects  more  from  us  under  the  new, 
than  he  did  under  the  old  covenant.  In  that,  he  expected  the 
obedience  of  men  ;  in  this,  be  expects  the  obedience  of  Chris- 
tians,  such  as  are  by  faith  united  unto  Christ,  and,  in  Christ, 
unto  himself ;  and  so  are  to  do  what  they  do,  not  by  the  strength 
of  man,  as  before,  but  by  the  strength  of  the  eternal  God  him- 
self; who,  as  he  at  first  created  me  for  himself,  so  he  hath  now 
purchased  me  to  himself,  received  me  into  covenant  with  him, 
and  promised  to  enable  me  with  grace  to  perform  that  obedi- 
ence he  requires  from  me;  and  therefore,  he  now  expects  I 
should  lav  out  myself,  even  whatsoever  I  have  or  am,  wholly 
for  him  and  his  glory. 

This  therefore  being  the  tenor  of  this  covenant  of  grace,  it 
follows  that  I  am  now  none  of  my  own,  but  wholly  God's.  I 
am  his  by  creation,  and  his  by  redemption,  and  therefore  ought 
to  be  his  by  conversation.  Why  therefore  should  I  live  any 
longer  to  myself,  who  am  not  mine  own,  but  God's  ?  And  why 
should  I  grudge  to  give  myself  to  him,  who  did  not  grudge  to 
give  himself  for  me  ?  or  rather,  why  should  I  steal  myself  from 
him,  who  have  already  given  myself  to  him?  But  did  I  say  I 
have  given  myself  to  my  God  ?  Alas !  it  is  but  the  restoring 
myself  to  him,  whose  I  was  ever  since  I  had  a  being,  and  to 
whom  I  am  still  infinitely  more  engaged,  that  I  can  thus  cor- 
dially engage  myself  to  him  ;  for,  as  I  am  not  my  own,  but 
his,  so  the  very  giving  of  myself  to  him  is  not  from  myself,  but 
from  him.     I  could  not  have  given  myself  to  him,  had  he  not 

G 


74  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

first  given  himself  to  me,  and  ever  wrought  my  mind  into  t\m 
resolution  of  giving  myself  to  him. 

But  having  thus  solemnly,  by  covenant,  given  myself  to  him, 
how  doth  it  behove  me  to  improve  myself  for  him  ?  My  soul 
is  his,  my  body  his,  my  parts  his,  my  gifts  his,  my  graces  his, 
and  whatsoever  is  mine  is  his  ;  for  without  him  I  could  not 
have  been,  and  therefore  could  have  had  nothing.  So  that  I 
have  no  more  cause  to  be  proud  of  any  thing  I  have,  or  am, 
than  a  page  hath  to  be  proud  of  his  fine  clothes,  which  are 
not  his,  but  his  master's  ;  who  bestows  all  this  finery  upon  him 
not  for  his  page's  honour  or  credit,  but  for  his  own. 

And  thus  it  is  with  the  best  of  us,  in  respect  of  God;  he 
gives  men  parts,  and  learning,  and  riches,  and  grace,  and  de- 
sires and  expects  that  we  should  make  a  due  use  of  them  :  but 
to  what  end  ?  not  to  gain  honour  and  esteem  to  ourselves,  to 
make  us  proud  and  haughty  ;  but  to  give  him  the  honour  due 
to  his  name,  and  so  employ  them  as  instruments  in  promoting 
his  glory  and  service.  So  that  whensoever  we  do  not  lay  out 
ourselves  to  the  utmost  of  our  power  for  him,  it  is  downright 
sacrilege  ;  it  is  robbing  God  of  that  which  is  more  properly 
his,  than  any  man  in  the  world  can  call  any  thing  he  hath  his 
own. 

Having  therefore  thus  wholly  surrendered  and  given  up  my- 
self to  God,  so  long  as  it  shall  please  his  Majesty  to  entrust 
me  with  myself,  to  lend  me  my  being  in  the  lower  world,  or 
to  put  any  thing  else  into  my  hands,  as  time,  health,  strength, 
parts,  or  the  like  ;  I  am  resolved,  by  his  grace,  to  lay  out  all 
for  his  glory.  All  the  faculties  of  my  soul,  as  I  have  given 
them  to  him,  so  will  I  endeavour  to  improve  them  for  him  ; 
they  shall  still  be  at  his  most  noble  service  ;  my  understanding 
shall  be  his,  to  know  him  ;  my  will  his,  to  choose  him  ;  my 
affections  his,  to  embrace  him  ;  and  all  the  members  of  my 
body  shall  act  in  subserviency  to  him. 

And  thus  having  given  myself  to  God  on  earth,  I  hope  God, 
in  a  short  time,  will  take  me  to  himself  in  heaven  ;  where  as 
I  gave  myself  to  him  in  time  he  will  give  himself  to  me  unto 
all  eternity. 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  75 


ARTICLE  X. 


I  believe,  that  as  God  entered  into  a  covenant  of  grace  with  us, 
so  hath  he  signed  this  covenant  to  us  by  a  double  seal,  Bap- 
tism, and  the  Lord's  Supper. 

As  the  covenant  of  works  had  two  sacraments,  viz.  the  tree 
of  life,  and  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil ;  the 
first  signifying  and  sealing  life  and  happiness  to  the  perform- 
ance, the  other  death  and  misery  to  the  breach  of  it :  so  the 
covenant  of  grace  was  likewise  sealed  with  two  typical  sacra- 
ments, Circumcision,  and  the  Passover.  The  former  was  an- 
nexed at  God's  first  making  his  covenant  with  Abraham's 
person  ;  the  other  was  added  at  his  fulfilling  the  promises  of 
it  to  his  seed  or  posterity,  which  were  therefore  styled,  the 
promised  Seed.  But  these  being  only  typical  of  the  true  and 
spiritual  sacraments  that  were  afterwards  to  take  place  upon 
the  coming  of  the  Messiah,  there  was  then,  in  the  fulness  of 
time,  two  other  sacraments  substituted  in  their  stead,  viz.  Bap- 
tism, and  the  Supper  of  the  Lord.  And  these  sacraments  were 
both  correspondent  to  the  types  by  which  they  were  repre- 
sented. 

As  to  the  first,  viz.  circumcision,  whether  I  consider  the 
time  of  conferring  it,  or  the  end  of  its  institution,  I  find  it 
exactly  answers  to  the  sacrament  of  baptism  in  both  these  re- 
spects. For  as  the  children  under  the  Law  were  to  be  cir- 
cumcised in  their  infancy,  at  eight  days  old;  so  are  the  chil- 
dren under  the  Gospel  to  be  baptized  in  their  infancy  too. 
And  as  the  principal  thing  intended  in  the  rite  of  circumcision 
was  to  initiate  or  admit  the  children  of  the  faithful  into  the 
Jewish  church  ;  so  the  chief  design  of  baptism  now  is  to  ad- 
mit the  children  of  such  as  profess  themselves  Christians  into 
the  church  of  Christ.  And  for  this  reason,  I  believe,  that  as, 
under  the  Old  Testament,  children  had  the  grant  of  covenant- 
privileges  and  church-membership  as  really  as  their  parents 
had  ;  so  this  grant  was  not  repealed,  as  is  intimated,  Acts  ii. 
39.  but  farther  confirmed  in  the  New  Testament,  in  that  the 
Apostle  calls  the  children  of  believing  parents  holy,  1  Cor. 
vii.  14.  which  cannot  be  understood  of  a  real  and  inherent, 
but  only  of  a  relative  and  covenanted  holiness,  by  virtue  of 
which,  being  born  of  believing  parents,  themselves  are  ac- 
counted in  the  number  of  believers,  and  are  therefore  called 
holy  children  under  the  Gospel,  in  the  same  sense  that  the 
people  of  Israel  were  called  a  holy  people  under  the  Law, 


76  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

Deut.  vii.  6.  and  chap.  xiv.  2,  21.  as  being  all  within  the 
covenant  of  grace,  which,  through  the  faith  of  their  parents, 
is  thus  sealed  to  them  in  their  baptism. 

Not  that  I  think  it  necessary  that  all  parents  should  be  en- 
dued with  what  we  call  a  saving  faith,  to  entitle  their  children 
to  these  privileges,  (for  then,  none  but  the  children  of  such 
who  have  the  Spirit  of  Christ  truly  implanted  in  them  would 
be  qualified  to  partake  of  the  covenant;)  but  even  such,  who, 
by  an  outward  historical  faith,  have  taken  the  name  of  Christ 
upon  them,  are  by  that  means  in  covenant  with  God,  and  so 
accounted  holy  in  respect  of  their  profession,  whatever  they 
may  be  in  point  of  practice.  And  if  they  are  themselves  holy, 
it  follows  of  course  that  their  children  must  be  so  too,  they 
being  esteemed  as  parts  of  their  parents,  till  made  distinct 
members  in  the  body  of  Christ  ;  or,  at  least,  till  they  come  to 
the  use  of  their  reason,  and  the  improvement  of  their  natural 
abilities. 

And  therefore,  though  the  seal  be  changed,  yet  the  cove- 
nant-privileges, wherewith  the  parties  stipulating  unto  God 
were  before  invested,  are  no  whit  altered  or  diminished  ;  be- 
liever's children  being  as  really  confederates  with  their  parents 
in  the  covenant  of  grace  now,  as  they  were  before  under  the 
Jewish  administration  of  it.  And  this  seems  to  be  altogether 
necessary  ;  for  otherwise,  infants  should  be  invested  with  pri- 
vileges under  the  type,  and  be  deprived  of,  or  excluded  from, 
them,  under  the  more  perfect  accomplishment  of  the  same 
covenant  in  the  thing  typified  ;  and  so,  the  dispensations  of 
God's  grace  would  be  more  straight  and  narrow  since,  than 
they  were  before,  the  coming  of  our  Saviour  ;  which  I  look 
upon  to  be  no  less  than  blasphemy  to  assert. 

And  upon  this  ground  I  believe  it  is  as  really  the  duty  of 
Christians  to  baptize  their  children  now,  as  ever  it  was  the 
duty  of  the  Israelites  to  circumcise  theirs  ;  and  therefore  St. 
Peter's  question,  Can  any  man  forbid  water,  that  these  should 
not  be  baptised,  who  have  received  the  Holy  Ghost  as  well  as 
we?  Acts  x.  47.  may  very  properly  be  applied  to  this  case. 
Can  any  one  forbid  water  that  children  should  not  be  baptized, 
who  are  in  covenant  with  the  most  high  God  as  well  as  we  ? 
For  what  is  it,  I  pray,  that  the  right  to  baptism  doth  depend 
upon  ?  Surely,  not  upon  performing  the  conditions  of  the 
covenant ;  for  then  none  should  be  baptized  but  such  as  are 
true  believers  in  themselves,  and  known  to  be  so  by  us,  and, 
by  consequence,  none  at  all ;  it  being  only  God's  prerogative 
to  search  their  hearts,  and  to  know  the  truth  of  that  grace 
which  himself  hath  been  pleased  to  bestow  upon  them.     But 


Thovghts  on  Religion.  77 

children's  right  to  baptism  is  grounded  upon  the  outward  pro- 
fession of  their  believing  parents  ;  so  that  as  a  king  may  be 
crowned  in  his  cradle,  not  because  he  is  able  to  wield  the  scep- 
tre, or  manage  the  affairs  of  his  kingdom,  but  because  he  is 
heir  to  his  father ;  so  here,  children  are  not  therefore  baptized 
because  they  are  able  to  perform  the  conditions  of  the  cove- 
nant which  is  sealed  to  them,  but  because  they  are  children 
to  believing  parents.  And  this  seems  to  be  yet  farther  evident, 
from  the  very  nature  of  seals,  which  are  not  administered  or 
annexed  to  any  covenant,  because  the  conditions  are  already 
performed,  but  rather  that  they  may  be  performed ;  and  so 
children  are  not  baptized,  because  they  are  already  true  Chris- 
tians, but  that  they  may  be  so  hereafter. 

As  for  a  command  for  infant-baptism,  I  believe,  that  the 
same  law  that  enjoined  circumcision  to  the  Jewish,  enjoins 
baptism  likewise  to  Christian  children,  there  being  the  same 
reason  for  both.  The  reason  why  the  Jewish  children  were  to 
be  circumcised  was  because  they  were  Jewish  children,  born  of 
such  as  professed  the  true  worship  of  God,  and  were  in  cove- 
nant with  him ;  and  there  is  the  same  reason  why  Christian 
children  are  to  be  baptized,  even  because  they  are  Christian 
children,  born  of  such  as  profess  the  true  worship  of  the  same 
God,  and  are  confederates  in  the  same  covenant  with  the  Jews 
themselves.  And  as  there  is  the  same  reason,  so  likewise  the 
same  end  for  both,  viz.  that  the  children  might  be  actually  ad- 
mitted into  the  same  covenant  with  their  parents,  and  have  it 
visibly  confirmed  to  them  by  this  initiating  seal  put  upon  them  : 
so  that  circumcision  and  baptism  are  not  two  distinct  seals,  but 
the  same  seal  diversely  applied  ;  the  one  being  but  as  a  type 
of  the  other,  and  so  to  give  place  to  it  whensoever,  by  the  in- 
stitution of  Christ,  it  should  be  brought  into  the  church  of  God. 
And  therefore,  the  command  for  initiating  children  into  the 
Church  by  baptism  remains  still  in  force,  though  circumcision, 
which  was  the  type  and  shadow  of  it,  be  done  away.  And  for 
this  reason  I  believe,  that  was  there  never  a  command  in  the 
New  Testament  for  infant-baptism,  yet,  seeing  there  is  one 
for  circumcision  in  the  Old,  and  for  baptism,  as  coming  into 
the  place  of  it,  in  the  New,  I  should  look  upon  baptism  as 
necessarily  to  be  applied  to  infants  now,  as  circumcision  was 
then. 

But  why  should  it  be  supposed  that  there  is  no  command  in 
the  New  Testament  for  infant-baptism  ?  There  are  several 
texts  that  seem  to  imply  its  being  practised  in  the  first  preach- 
ing of  the  Gospel,  as  particularly  in  the  case  of  Lydia,  and 
the  keeper  of  the  prison,  Acts  xvi.  15,  33.  who  had  their 

G2 


78  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

whole  families  baptized ;  and  we  no  where  find  that  children 
were  excepted.  On  the  contrary,  St.  Peter,  exhorting  the 
converted  Jews  to  be  baptized,  makes  use  of  this  argument 
to  bring  them  to  it,  For  the  promise,  says  he,  is  unto  you,  and 
to  your  children,  Acts  ii.  38,  39.  which  may  as  reasonably  be 
understood  of  their  infants,  as  of  their  adult  posterity.  But, 
besides,  it  was  the  express  command  of  Christ  to  his  disciples, 
that  they  should  go  and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost,  Matt,  xxviii.  19. 
The  meaning  of  which  words  I  take  to  be  this ;  Go  ye,  and 
preach  the  Gospel  amongst  all  nations,  and  endeavour  thereby 
to  bring  them  over  to  the  embracing  of  it ;  that  leaving  all 
Jewish  ceremonies  and  Heathenish  idolatries,  they  may  pro- 
fess my  name,  and  become  my  disciples,  receive  the  truth, 
and  follow  me  ;  which  if  they  do  I  charge  you  to  baptize 
them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost :  for  the 
word  fiei^Tjreva-xre  doth  not  signify  to  teach,  but  to  make  disci- 
ples, denoting  the  same  here,  that  f^xB-^ru^  -zroiiiv  doth  upon 
the  like  occasion,  John  iv.  1. 

And  this  is  the  sense  that  all  the  ancient  translations  agree 
in  ;  nor,  indeed,  will  the  text  itself  bear  any  other  ;  especially, 
not  that  of  teaching  ;  for  though  the  apostles  should  have  taught 
all  nations,  yet  they  were  not  presently  to  baptize  them,  unless 
they  became  disciples,  and  professors  of  the  doctrine  that  they 
were  taught.  A  man  may  be  taught  the  doctrine  of  the  Gos- 
pel, and  yet  not  believe  it ;  and  even  though  he  should  believe, 
yet  unless  he  openly  professes  his  faith  in  it,  he  ought  not  pre- 
sently to  be  baptized.  For  without  this  outward  profession, 
the  very  possessing  of  Christ  cannot  entitle  a  man  to  this  pri- 
vilege before  men,  though  it  doth  before  God  ;  because  we 
cannot  know  how  any  one  stands  affected  towards  Christ,  but 
only  by  his  outward  profession  of  him.  It  is  the  inward  pos- 
session of  Christ's  person  that  entitles  us  to  the  inward  spirit- 
ual grace ;  but  it  is  the  outward  profession  of  his  name  only 
that  entitles  us  to  the  outward  visible  sign  in  baptism  ;  so  that 
a  man  must  of  necessity  be  a  professed  disciple  of  the  Gospel, 
before  he  can  be  admitted  into  the  church  of  Christ.  And 
hence  it  is  that  the  words  must  necessarily  be  understood  of 
discipling,  or  bringing  the  nations  over  to  the  profession  of  the 
Christian  religion  :  or  else  we  must  suppose,  what  ought  not  to 
be  granted,  that  our  Saviour  must  command  many  that  were  visi- 
ble enemies  to  his  cross,  to  be  received  into  his  church ;  for 
many  of  the  Jews  were  taught  and  instructed  in  the  doctrine 
oi  the  Gospel,  who,  notwithstanding,  were  inveterate  enemies 
unto  Christ.     They  were  taught  that  he  was  the  Messiah,  and 


jl  novg/us  on  neugion.  yy 

Saviour  of  the  world,  and  that  whosoever  believed  in  him 
should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life  ;  and  they  had  all 
the  reason  in  the  world  to  be  convinced  of  it :  yet  I  hope  there 
is  none  will  say,  that  the  bare  knowledge  of  or  tacit  assent 
unto,  these  things  are  a  sufficient  ground  for  their  reception 
into  the  church. 

Now,  as  it  was  in  the  Jewish  church,  when  any  one  became 
a  proselyte,  not  only  himself,  but  whatsoever  children  he  af- 
terwards had,  were  to  be  circumcised  ;  so  in  the  church  of 
Christ,  whensoever  any  person  is  brought  over  into  the  pro- 
fession of  the  Christian  religion,  his  seed  are  all  equally  invest- 
ed with  the  outward  privileges  of  it  with  himself,  though  they 
be  not  as  yet  come  to  years  of  discretion,  nor  able  of  them- 
selves to  make  their  profession  of  that  religion  they  are  to  be 
received  and  baptized  into.  For  so  long  as  children  are  in 
their  infancy,  they  are  (as  I  before  observed)  looked  upon  as 
parts  of  their  parents,  and  are  therefore  accounted  holy,  by  the 
outward  profession  which  their  parents,  under  whom  they  are 
comprehended,  make  of  it :  and  in  this  sense,  1  Cor.  viii.  14. 
the  unbelieving  husband  is  said  to  be  sanctified  by  the  believing 
wife,  and  the  unbelieving  wife  by  the  believing  husband  ;  that  is, 
man  and  wife  being  made  one  flesh,  they  are  denominated, 
from  the  better  part,  holy,  and  so  are  their  children  too. 

And  hence  it  is  that  I  verily  believe,  that  in  the  commission 
which  our  Saviour  gave  to  his  Apostles,  to  disciple  and  baptize 
all  nations,  he  meant  that  they  should  preach  the  Gospel  in  all 
nations,  and  thereby  bring  over  all  persons  of  understanding 
and  discretion  to  the  profession  of  his  name,  and  in  them  their 
children  ;  and  so  ingraft  both  root  and  branch  into  himself, 
the  true  vine,  by  baptizing  both  parents  and  children  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost. 

The  main  objection  against  this  is,  that  infants  are  not  in  a 
capacity  either  to  learn  and  understand  their  duty  in  this  cove- 
nant, or  to  stipulate  and  promise  for  their  future  performance 
of  the  conditions  of  it.  But  this  difficulty  is  easily  removed, 
when  I  consider,  that  it  is  not  by  virtue  of  their  own  faith  or 
knowledge,  but  that  of  their  parents,  that  they  are  admitted  to 
this  sacrament ;  nor  is  it  required  that  they  should  stipulate  or 
promise  in  their  own  persons,  but  by  their  godfathers  or  spon- 
sors, who  enter  into  this  engagement  for  them,  and  oblige  them, 
when  they  come  of  age,  to  take  it  upon  themselves,  which  ac- 
cordingly they  do.  And  this  engagement  by  proxy  does  as 
effectually  bind  them  to  the  performance  of  the  conditions,  as 
if  they  were  actually  in  a  capacity  to  have  stipulated  for  them- 
selves, or  sealed  the  covenant  in  their  own  persons.    For  these 


80  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

spiritual  signs  or  seals  are  not  designed  to  make  God's  word 
surer  to  us,  but  only  to  make  our  faith  stronger  in  him  ;  nor 
are  they  of  the  substance  of  the  covenant,  but  only  for  the  bet- 
ter confirmation  of  it. 

And  as  baptism  thus  comes  in  the  place  of  the  Jews'  cir- 
cumcision, so  doth  our  Lord's  Supper  answer  to  their  passover. 
Their  paschal  lamb  represented  our  Saviour  Christ,  and  the 
sacrificing  of  it  the  shedding  of  his  blood  upon  the  cross  ;  and 
as  the  passover  was  the  memorial  of  the  Israelites'  redemption 
from  Egypt's  bondage,  Exod.  xii.  14.  so  is  the  Lord's  Supper 
the  memorial  of  our  redemption  from  the  slavery  of  sin,  and 
ascention  into  Christian  liberty:  or  rather,  it  is  a  solemn  and 
lively  representation  of  the  death  of  Christ,  and  offering  it 
again  to  God,  as  an  atonement  for  sin,  and  reconciliation  to 
his  favour. 

So  that  I  believe  this  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  under 
the  Gospel,  succeeds  to  the  rite  of  sacrificing  under  the  Law, 
and  is  properly  called  the  Christian  sacrifice,  as  representing 
the  sacrifice  of  Christ  upon  the  cross.  And  the  end  of  both 
is  the  same  :  for  as  the  sacrifices  under  the  law  were  designed 
as  a  propitiation  or  atonement  for  sins,  by  transferring  the 
punishment  from  the  offerer  to  the  thing  offered,  which  is 
therefore  called,  the  accursed  thing,  as  we  read  Lev.  xvii.  1 1 . 
so,  under  the  Gospel,  we  are  told,  that  it  was  for  this  end  that 
our  Saviour  died,  and  suffered  in  our  stead,  that  he  might 
obtain  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  and  reconcile  us  to  his  Father, 
by  laying  the  guilt  of  them  upon  his  own  person.  And  ac- 
cordingly he  says  of  himself,  that  he  came  to  give  his  life  a 
ransom  for  many,  Matt.  xx.  28.  And  St.  Paul  tells  us,  2  Cor. 
v.  21.  that  he  was  made  sin  for  us,  who  knew  no  sin. 

And  as  the  end  of  both  institutions  was  the  same,  so  they 
were  both  equally  extended.  The  paschal  lamb  was  offered 
for  all  the  congregation  of  Israel ;  and  so  is  the  sacrament  of 
the  Lord's  Supper  to  be  administered  to  all  the  faithful  people 
in  Christ,  that  do  not  exclude  themselves  from  it.  And  for 
this  reason  I  believe,  that  as  all  the  congregation  of  Israel  was 
to  eat  the  Passover,  so  is  all  the  society  of  Christians  to  re- 
ceive the  Lord's  Supper  ;  those  only  to  be  excepted  who  are 
altogether  ignorant  of  the  nature  of  that  covenant  it  seals,  or 
openly  and  scandalously  guilty  of  the  breach  of  the  conditions 
it  requires. 

But  why,  say  some,  should  there  be  any  exception  ?  Did 
not  Christ  die  for  all  mankind  ?  And  is  not  that  death  said  to 
be  a  full,  perfect,  and  sufficient  sacrifice,  oblation,  and  satisfac- 
tion for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world/    All  this  is  true  ;  but  it 


does  not  from  hence  follow  that  all  men  must  be  actually  saved 
and  absolved  from  their  sins  by  virtue  of  his  death.  No,  it  is 
only  they  who  apply  to  themselves  the  merits  of  his  passion, 
by  partaking  duly  of  this  holy  sacrament,  which  is  the  proper 
means  by  which  these  blessing  are  conveyed  to  us,  whereby  we 
are  sealed  to  the  day  of  redemption.  I  say  duly,  because 
though  this  sacrament  was  ordained  for  all,  yet  all  will  not 
make  themselves  worthy  of  it ;  and  those  that  are  not  so,  are 
so  far  from  reaping  any  benefit  from  it,  that,  as  the  Apostle 
says,  they  eat  and  drink  their  own  damnation,  not  discerning  the 
Lord's  body,  1  Cor.  xi.  29.  And  therefore  I  believe,  that  as 
in  the  institution  of  the  Passover  there  were  some  particular 
duties  and  ceremonies  enjoined  for  the  better  solemnization  of 
it ;  so  there  are  some  preparatory  duties  and  qualifications 
necessarily  required  for  the  celebration  of  the  Lord's  Supper, 
which  before  I  presume  to  partake  of  it,  I  must  always  use  my 
utmost  endeavours  to  exercise  myself  in.     And  these  are, 

First,  that  I  should  examine,  confess,  and  bewail  my  sina 
before  God,  with  a  true  sense  of,  and  sorrow  for,  them  ;  and, 
taking  firm  resolutions  for  the  time  to  come,  utterly  to  relin- 
quish and  forsake  them,  solemnly  engage  myself  in  a  new  and 
truly  Christian  course  of  life. 

Secondly,  that  I  should  be  in  perfect  charity  with  all  men,  i. 
e.  that  I  should  heartily  forgive  those  who  have  any  ways  in- 
jured or  offended  me  ;  and  make  restitution  or  satisfaction  to 
such  whom  I  have  in  any  respect  injured  or  offended  myself. 
And  then, 

Thirdly,  that  I  should,  with  an  humble  and  obedient  heart, 
exercise  the  acts  of  faith,  and  love,  and  devotion,  during  the 
celebration  of  that  holy  mystery;  and  express  the  sense  I  have 
of  this  mystery,  by  devout  praises  and  thanksgivings  for  the 
great  mercies  and  favours  that  God  vouchsafes  to  me  therein; 
and  by  all  the  ways  and  measures  of  charity  that  he  has  pre- 
scribed, manifest  my  love  and  beneficence  to  my  Christian 
brethren. 

These  are  the  proper  graces,  this  the  wedding  garment, 
that  every  true  Christian,  who  comes  to  be  a  guest  at  this  holy 
Supper,  ought  to  be  clothed  and  invested  with. 

Do  thou,  O  blessed  Jesus!  adorn  me  with  this  holy  robe, 
and  inspire  my  soul  with  such  heavenly  qualities  and  disposi- 
tions as  these ;  and  then  I  need  not  fear,  but  that  as  oft  as  I 
eat  the  flesh  of  Christ,  and  drink  his  blood,  I  shall  effectually 
obtain  the  pardon  and  remission  of  my  sins,  the  sanctifying 
influences  of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  a  certain  interest  in  the 
kingdom  of  glory ! 

See  farther,  Treatise  of  the  Sacrament. 


82  Thoughts  on  Religion. 


ARTICLE   XT. 

J  believe,  that,  after  a  short  separation,  my  soul  and  body 
shall  be  united  together  again,  in  order  to  appear  before  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ,  and  be  f  natty  sentenced  according 
to  my  deserts. 

I  know  this  body,  which  for  the  present  I  am  tied  to,  is 
nothing  else  but  a  piece  of  clay,  made  up  into  the  frame  and 
fashion  of  a  man  ;  and  therefore,  as  it  was  first  taken  from  the 
dust,  so  shall  it  return  to  dust  again  ;  but  then  I  believe,  on  the 
other  hand,  that  it  shall  as  really  be  raised  from  the  earth,  as 
ever  it  shall  be  carried  to  it  ;  yea,  though  perhaps  it  may  go 
through  a  hundred  or  a  thousand  changes  before  that  day  come. 
There  are,  I  confess,  some  points  in  this  article,  which  are 
hardly  to  be  solved  by  human  reason  ;  but  I  believe  there  are 
none  so  difficult,  but  what  may  be  reconciled  by  a  divine  faith  ; 
though  it  be  too  hard  for  me  to  know,  yet  it  is  not  too  hard 
for  God  to  do.  He  that  should  have  told  me  some  years  ago 
that  my  body  then  was,  or  should  be,  a  mixture  of  particles 
fetched  from  so  many  parts  of  the  world,  and  undergo  so  many 
changes  and  alterations,  as  to  become  in  a  manner  new, 
should  scarce  have  extorted  the  belief  of  it  from  me,  though 
now  I  perceive  it  to  be  a  real  truth  ;  the  meats,  fruits,  and 
spices,  which  we  eat,  being  transported  from  several  different 
places  and  nations,  and  by  natural  digestion  transfused  into  the 
constitution  of  the  body.  And  why  should  not  I  believe,  that 
the  same  almighty  Power,  who  made  these  several  beings,  or 
particles  of  matter,  by  which  I  am  fed  and  sustained,  can  as 
easily  with  his  word  recal  each  part  again  from  the  most  secret 
or  remote  place  that  it  can  possibly  be  transported  to  ?  Or, 
that  he  who  framed  me  out  of  the  dust,  can  with  as  much  ease 
gather  all  the  scattered  parts  of  the  body,  and  put  them  to- 
gether again,  as  he  at  first  formed  it  into  such  a  shape,  and 
infused  into  it  a  spiritual  being  ? 

And  this  article  of  my  faith  I  believe  is  not  only  grounded 
upon,  but  may,  even  by  the  force  of  reason,  be  deduced  from, 
the  principles  of  justice  and  equity  ;  justice  requiring,  that 
they  who  are  copartners  in  vice  and  virtue,  should  be  copart- 
ners also  in  punishments  and  rewards.  There  is  scarce  a  sin 
a  man  commits,  but  his  body  hath  a  share  in  it  ;  for  though 
the  sin  committed  would  not  be  a  sin  without  the  soul,  yet  it 
could  not  be  committed  without  the  body  ;  the  sinfulness  of  it 
depends  upon  the  former,  but  the  commission  of  it  may  law- 


fully  be  charged  upon  the  latter  :  the  body  could  not  sin  if  the 
soul  did  not  consent  ;  nor  could  the  soul  sin  (especially  so  oft) 
if  the  body  did  not  tempt  to  it.  And  this  is  particularly  ob- 
servable in  the  sins  of  adultery,  drunkenness,  and  gluttony, 
which  the  soul  of  itself  cannot  commit,  neither  would  it  ever 
consent  unto  them,  did  not  the  prevalent  humours  of  the  body, 
as  it  were,  force  it  to  do  so.  For  in  these  sins,  the  act  that  is 
sinful  is  wholly  performed  by  the  body,  though  the  sinfulness 
of  that  act  doth  principally  depend  upon  the  soul. 

Neither  is  the  body  only  partner  with  the  soul  in  these  gros- 
ser sins,  but  even  the  more  spiritual  sins,  which  seem  to  be 
most  abstracted  from  the  temperature  of  the  body,  as  if  they 
depended  only  upon  the  pravity  and  corruption  of  the  soul.  I 
say,  even  these  are  partly  to  be  ascribed  to  the  body.  For 
instance,  an  atheistical  thought,  which  one  would  think  was  to 
be  laid  only  upon  the  soul,  because  the  thought  takes  its  rise 
from  thence  ;  yet  if  we  seriously  weigh  and  consider  the  mat- 
ter, we  shall  find,  that  it  is  usually  the  sinful  affections  of 
the  body  that  thus  debauch  the  mind  into  these  blasphemous 
thoughts ;  and  that  it  is  the  pleasures  of  sense  that  first  sug- 
gest them  to  us,  and  raise  them  in  us.  And  this  appears,  in 
that  there  is  no  person  that  ever  was,  or  indeed  ever  can  be,  an 
atheist  at  all  times  ;  but  such  thoughts  spring  up  in  the  fountain 
of  the  soul  only  when  mudded  with  fleshly  pleasures.  And  thus 
it  is  in  most  other  sins  ;  the  carnal  appetite  having  gotten  the 
reins  into  its  hand,  it  misleads  the  reason,  and  hurries  the  soul 
wheresoever  it  pleaseth.  And  what  then  can  be  more  rea- 
sonable, than  that  the  body  should  be  punished,  both  for  its 
usurping  the  soul's  prerogative,  and  for  its  tyrannizing  so 
much  over  that,  which,  at  the  first,  it  was  made  to  be  sub- 
ject to  ? 

But  farther,  it  is  the  body  that  enjoys  the  pleasure,  and 
therefore  good  reason  that  the  body  should  likewise  bear  the 
punishment  of  sin.  Indeed,  I  cannot  conceive  how  it  can 
stand  with  the  principles  of  justice,  but  that  the  body,  which 
both  accompanies  the  soul  in  sin,  enjoys  the  pleasures  of  it, 
and  leads  the  soul  into  it,  should  bear  a  share  in  the  miseries 
which  are  due  to,  and  inflicted  upon,  it.  For  what  doth  justice 
require,  but  to  punish  the  person  that  offends  for  the  offence 
he  commits  ?  Whereas,  if  the  soul  only,  and  not  the  body, 
were  to  suffer,  the  person  would  not  suffer  at  all ;  the  body 
being  part  of  the  person  as  well  as  the  soul,  and,  therefore, 
the  soul  no  person  without  the  body. 

Hence  it  is,  that  though  the  Scripture  had  been  silent  in 
this  point,  yet  methinks  I  could  not  but  have  believed  it :  how 


84  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

much  more  firm  and  stedfast  then  ought  I  to  be  in  my  faith, 
when  truth  itself  hath  been  pleased  so  expressly  to  affirm  it  ? 
For  thus  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  Thy  dead  men  shall  live  ; 
together  with  my  dead  body  shall  they  arise,  Isa.  xxvi.  19.  And 
many  of  them  that  sleep  in  the  dust  of  the  earth  shall  awake, 
some  to  everlasting  life,  and  some  to  shame  and  everlasting  con- 
tempt, Dan.  xii.  2.  And  thus  saith  the  Saviour  of  the  world, 
who  is  the  way,  the  truth,  and  the  life ;  The  hour  is  coming,  in 
which  all  that  are  in  the  graves  shall  hear  his  voice,  and  shall 
come  forth ;  they  that  have  done  good,  unto  the  resurrection  of 
life ;  and  they  that  have  done  evil,  unto  the  resurrection  of  dam- 
nation, John  v.  28,  29.  The  same  hath  it  pleased  his  divine 
Majesty  to  assert  and  prove  with  his  own  mouth,  Matth.  xxii. 
31,  32.  and  by  his  Spirit,  2  Cor.  xv.  and  in  many  other  places  : 
from  all  which  I  may,  with  comfort  and  confidence,  draw  the 
same  conclusion  that  holy  Job  did,  and  say,  J  know  that  my 
Redeemer  liveth,  and  that  he  shall  stand  at  the  latter  day  upon 
the  earth :  and  though  after  my  skin  ivorms  destroy  this  body, 
yet  in  my  flesh  shall  I  see  God  ;  whom  I  shall  see  for  myself, 
and  mine  eyes  shall  behold,  and  not  another,  though  my  reins  be 
consumed  within  me,  Job  xix.  25,  26,  27. 

And  as  I  believe  my  body  shall  be  thus  raised  from  the  grave, 
so  I  believe  the  other  part  of  me,  my  soul,  shall  never  be  car- 
ried to  it ;  I  mean,  it  shall  never  die,  but  shall  be  as  much, 
yea,  more  alive,  when  I  am  dying,  than  it  is  now  ;  by  so  much 
my  soul  shall  be  the  more  active  in  itself,  by  how  much  it  is 
less  tied  and  subjected  to  the  body. 

And  farther  I  believe,  that  so  soon  as  ever  my  breath  is  out 
of  my  nostrils,  my  soul  shall  remove  her  lodging  into  the  other 
world,  there  to  live  as  really  to  eternity,  as  I  now  live  here  in 
time.  Yea,  I  am  more  certain  that  my  soul  shall  return  to  God 
that  gave  it,  than  that  my  body  shall  return  to  the  earth,  out  of 
which  I  had  it.  For  I  know  it  is  possible  my  body  may 
be  made  immortal,  but  I  am  sure  my  soul  shall  never  be  mor- 
tal. I  know,  that  at  the  first  the  body  did  equally  participate 
of  immortality  with  the  soul,  and  that  had  not  sin  made  the 
divorce,  they  had  lived  together,  like  loving  mates,  to  all 
eternity.  And  I  dare  not  affirm,  that  Enoch  and  Elias  under- 
went the  common  fate ;  or,  suppose  they  did,  yet  sure  I  am, 
the  time  will  come,  when  thousands  of  men  and  women  shall 
not  be  dissolved  and  die,  but  be  immediately  changed  and 
caught  up  into  heaven,  or,  to  their  eternal  confusion,  thrust 
down  into  hell ;  whose  bodies  therefore  shall  undergo  no  such 
thing  as  rotting  in  the  grave,  or  being  eaten  up  of  worms,  but, 
together  with  their  souls,  shall  immediately  launch  into  the 


1  noughts  on  Keiigion.  85 

vast  ocean  of  eternity.  But  who  ever  yet  read  or  heard  of  a 
soul's  funeral  ?  who  is  it  ?  where  is  the  man  ?  or,  what  is  his 
name,  that  wrote  the  history  of  her  life  and  death  ?  Can  any 
disease  arise  in  a  spiritual  substance,  wherein  there  is  no  such 
thing  as  contrariety  of  principles  or  qualities  to  occasion  any 
disorder  or  distemper  ?  Can  any  angel  be  sick,  or  die  ?  And 
if  not  an  angel,  why  a  soul,  which  is  endowed  with  the  same 
spiritual  nature  here,  and  shall  be  adorned  with  the  same  eter- 
nal glory  hereafter  ?  No,  no  ;  deceive  not  thyself,  my  soul : 
for  it  is  more  certain  that  thou  shalt  always  live,  than  that  thy 
body  shall  ever  die. 

Not  that  I  think  my  soul  must  always  live,  in  despite  of 
Omnipotence  itself,  as  if  it  was  not  in  the  power  of  the  Al- 
mighty to  take  my  being  and  existence  from  me  ;  for  I  know 

1  am  but  as  a  potsherd  in  the  Potter's  hand,  and  that  it  is  as 
easy  for  him  to  dash  me  to  pieces  now,  as  it  was  to  raise  me 
up  at  the  first.  I  believe  it  is  as  easy  for  him  to  command  my 
soul  out  of  its  being,  as  out  of  its  body ;  and  to  send  me  back 
into  my  mother  nothing,  out  of  whose  womb  he  took  me,  as 
it  was  at  first  to  fetch  me  thence.  I  know  he  could  do  it  if  he 
would ;  but  himself  hath  said  he  will  not,  and  therefore  I  am 
sure  he  cannot  do  it ;  and  that,  not  because  he  hath  not  pow- 
er, but  because  he  hath  not  will  to  do  it ;  it  being  impossible 
for  him  to  do  that  which  he  doth  not  will  to  do.  And,  that  it 
is  not  his  will  or  pleasure  ever  to  annihilate  my  soul,  I  have  it 
under  his  own  hand,  that  my  dust  shall  return  to  the  earth  as  it 
was,  and  my  spirit  to  God  that  gave  it,  Eccles.  xii.  7.  And  if 
it  return  to  God,  it  is  so  far  from  returning  to  nothing,  that  it 
returns  to  the  Being  of  all  beings  ;  and  so  death  to  me  will  be 
nothing  more  than  going  home  to  my  Father  and  Mother ;  my 
soul  goes  to  my  Father,  God ;  and  my  body  to  my  mother, 
Earth. 

Thus  likewise  hath  it  pleased  his  sacred  Majesty  to  assure 
me,  that  if  our  earthly  house  of  this  tabernacle  were  dissolved, 
we  have  a  building  of  God,  an  house  not  made  with  hands, 
eternal  in  the  heavens,  2  Cor.  v.  1.  so  clearly  hath  the  great 
God  brought  life  and  immortality  to  light  through  the  Gospel, 

2  Tim.  i.  10.  The  light  of  nature  shows,  the  soul  can  never 
perish  or  be  dissolved,  without,  the  immediate  interposition  of 
God's  omnipotence  ;  and  we  have  his  own  divine  word  for  it, 
that  he  will  never  use  that  power  in  the  dissolution  of  it.  And 
therefore  I  may,  with  the  greatest  assurance,  affirm  and  be- 
lieve, that  as  really  as  I  now  live,  so  really  shall  I  never  die ; 
but  that  my  soul,  at  the  very  moment  of  its  departure  from  the 
flesh,  shall  immediately  mount  up  to  the  tribunal  of  the  most 

H 


£6  Thoughts  on  Religion, 

high  God,  there  to  be  judged,  first  privately,  by  itself,  (or 
perhaps  with  some  other  souls  that  shall  be  summoned  to  apn 
pear  before  God  the  same  moment ;)  and  then,  from  these 
private  sessions,  I  believe  that  every  soul  that  ever  was,  or 
shall  be  separated  from  the  body,  must  either  be  received  into 
the  mansions  of  heaven,  or  else  sent  down  to  the  dungeon  of 
hell,  there  to  remain  till  the  grand  assizes,  the  judgment  of 
the  great  day,  when  the  trumpet  shall  sound,  and  the  dead 
shall  be  raised  incorruptible,  and  we  shall  be  changed,  1  Cor. 
xv.  52.  And  when  our  bodies,  by  the  word  of  the  Almighty 
God,  shall  be  thus  called  together  again,  I  believe  that  our 
souls  shall  be  all  prepared  to  meet  them,  and  be  united  again 
to  them,  and  so  both  appear  before  the  judgment-seat  of 
Christ,  to  receive  sentence  according  to  what  they  hare  done  in 
thefesh,  whether  it  be  good  or  whether  it  be  evil.  And  though 
it  is  very  difficult,  or  rather  impossible,  for  me  to  conceive  or 
determine  the  particular  circumstances  of  this  grand  assize,  or 
the  manner  and  method  how  it  shall  be  managed,  yet,  from  the 
light  and  intimations  that  God  has  vouchsafed  to  give  us  of  it, 
I  have  grounds  to  believe  it  will  be  ordered  and  carried  on 
after  this  or  the  like  manner. 

The  day  and  place  being  appointed  by  the  King  of  kings, 
the  glorious  Majesty  of  heaven  and  Saviour  of  the  world,  Jesus 
Christ,  who  long  ago  received  his  commission  from  the  Father, 
to  be  the  Judge  of  quick  and  dead,  John  v.  22.  Acts  xvii.  31. 
shall  descend  from  heaven  with  the  shout  of  the  archangel,  and 
with  the  trump  of  God,  1  Thess.  iv.  16.  royally  attended  with 
an  innumerable  company  of  glorious  angels,  Matt.  xxv.  31. 
These  he  shall  send  with  the  great  sound  of  a  trumpet,  and 
they  shall  gather  together  his  elect  from  the  four  winds,  from 
the  one  end  of  heaven  to  the  other,  chap.  xxiv.  31.  yea,  and  the 
wicked  too,  from  whatsoever  place  they  shall  be  in  ;  and  then 
shall  he  sever  the  wicked  from  the  just,  Matt.  xiii.  49.  So  that 
all  nations,  and  every  particular  person,  that  ever  did,  or  ever 
shall,  live  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  shall  be  gathered  togeth- 
er before  him,  and  he  shall  separate  the  one  from  the  other,  as 
a  shepherd  divideth  his  sheep  from  the  goats,  and  he  shall  set 
the  sheep  on  his  right  hand,  but  the  goats  upon  the  left,  Matt, 
xxv.  32.  33. 

Things  being  thus  set  in  order,  the  Judge  shall  read  hi« 
commission,  i.  e.  declare  and  manifest  himself  to  be  the  Judge 
of  all  the  earth,  sent  by  the  God  of  heaven,  to  judge  them  that 
had  condemned  him,  and  in  that  very  body,  that  once  was  cru- 
cified upon  the  cross  at  Jerusalem  for  our  sins.  So  that  all 
the  world  shall  then  behold  him  shining  in  all  his  glory  and 


i  noughts  on  iteugion.  ov 

majesty,  and  shall  acknowledge  him  to  be  now,  what  they 
would  not  believe  him  to  be  before,  even  both  God  and  man, 
and  so  the  Judge  of  all  the  world,  from  whom  there  can  be 
no  appeal. 

And  having  thus  declared  his  commission,  I  believe  the  first 
work  he  will  go  upon  will  be  to  open  the  book  of  God's  re- 
membrance, and  to  cause  all  the  indictments  to  be  read  that 
are  there  found  on  record  against  those  on  his  right  hand  5 
but  behold,  all  the  black  lines  of  their  sins  being  blotted  out 
with  the  red  lines  of  their  Saviour's  blood,  and  nothing  but 
their  good  works,  their  prayers,  their  sermons,  their  medita? 
tions,  their  alms,  and  the  like,  to  be  found  there  ;  the  righteous 
Judge,  before  whom  they  stand,  turning  himself  towards  them, 
with  a  serene  and  smiling  countenance,  will  declare  to  them, 
before  all  the  world,  that  their  sins  are  pardoned,  and  their 
persons  accepted  by  him,  as  having  believed  in  him  ;  and, 
therefore,  will  he  immediately  proceed  to  pronounce  the  happy 
sentence  of  election  upon  them,  saying,  Come,  ye  blessed  of 
my  Father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you  from  the  fount 
dation  of  the  world. 

The  sentence  being  thus  pronounced,  the  righteous  (and  1 
hope  myself  among  the  rest)  shall  go  up  with  shouts  of  joy 
and  triumph,  to  sit  with  our  blessed  Redeemer,  to  judge  the 
other  parts  of  the  world,  who  stand  at  the  left  hand  of  the 
tribunal,  with  ghastly  countenances  and  trembling  hearts,  to 
receive  their  last  and  dreadful  doom.  Against  these,  all  the 
sins  that  ever  they  committed,  or  were  guilty  of,  shall  be 
brought  up  in  judgment  against  them,  as  they  are  found  on 
record  in  the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  and  the  indictment 
read  against  every  particular  person,  high  or  low,  for  every 
particular  sin,  great  or  small,  which  they  have  committed. 

And  the  truth  of  this  indictment  shall  be  attested  by  their 
own  consciences,  crying,  Guilty,  guilty  :  I  say,  by  their  own 
consciences,  which  are  as  a  thousand  witnesses  ;  yea,  and  by 
the  omniscience  of  God  too,  which  is  as  a  thousand  con- 
sciences. And,  therefore,  without  any  farther  delay,  shall  the 
Judge  proceed  to  pronounce  the  sentence,  the  doleful  sentence 
of  condemnation  upon  them,  Depart,  ye  cursed,  into  everlast- 
ing fire,  prepared  for  the  Devil  and  his  angels. 

This,  I  believe,  or  such  like,  will  be  the  method  of  Christ's 
proceeding  with  us  in  that  great  and  terrible  day  of  trial  and 
retribution. 

Oh !  may  these  awful  thoughts  and  ideas  of  it  always  ac- 
company me,  and  strike  such  a  deep  and  lively  impression 
upon  my  heart,  in  every  action  of  life,  as  to  deter  me  from 


88  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

offending  this  just  and  almighty  Being,  in  whose  power  it  is 
to  destroy  both  body  and  soul  in  hell ;  and  engage  me  in  such 
a  regular,  strict,  and  conscientious  course  of  life,  as  to  be 
always  ready,  whenever  he  shall  please  to  summon  me,  to  give 
in  my  accounts  at  the  grand  audit,  and,  with  a  holy  assurance, 
fly  for  mercy  and  succour  into  the  hands  of  my  Redeemer, 
and  be  permitted  to  enter  into  the  joys  of  his  rest ! 


ARTICLE  XII. 

1  believe  there  are  two  other  worlds,  besides  this  I  live  in ;  a 
world  of  misery  for  unrepenting  sinners,  and  a  world  of 
glory  for  believing  saints. 

When  death  hath  opened  the  cage  of  flesh,  wherein  the  soul 
is  penned  up,  whither  it  flies,  or  how  it  subsists,  I  think  it  not 
easy  to  determine,  or  indeed  to  conceive.  As  for  the  Platonic 
aerial  and  aetherial  vehicles,  succeeding  this  terrestrial  one,  I 
find  neither  mention  of  nor  warrant  for  them  in  the  word  of 
God.  And,  indeed,  to  suppose  that  a  spiritual  substance  can- 
not subsist  of  itself,  without  being  supported  by  a  corporeal 
vehicle,  is,  in  my  opinion,  too  gross  a  conceit  for  any  philoso- 
pher, much  more  for  one  that  professes  himself  a  divine,  to 
advance  or  entertain.  Only  this  I  am  sure  of,  that  according 
to  the  distinction  of  lives  here  into  good  or  bad,  and  the  sen- 
tences passed  upon  all  hereafter,  of  absolution  or  condemna- 
tion, there  will  be  a  twofold  receptacle  for  the  souls  of  men, 
the  one  of  happiness,  the  other  of  misery. 

As  to  the  first,  I  believe,  that  at  the  great  and  general  as- 
sizes of  the  world,  there  will  be  a  glorious  entrance  opened 
for  the  righteous  into  the  holy  of  holies,  the  seat  and  fountain 
of  all  bliss  and  happiness,  where  they  shall  draw  nigh  to  the 
most  high  God,  behold  his  presence  in  righteousness,  and  reign 
with  him  for  ever  in  glory,  where  they  shall  see  him  face  to  face, 
1  Cor.  xiii.  12.  and  know  him  the  only  true  God,  and  Jesus 
Christ  whom  he  has  sent,  John  xvii.  3.  And  this  knowing  and 
beholding  God  face  to  face  is,  I  believe,  the  very  heaven  of 
heavens,  even  the  highest  happiness  that  it  is  possible  a  crea- 
ture should  be  made  capable  of:  for  in  having  a  perfect 
knowledge  of  God,  we  shall  have  a  perfect  knowledge  of  all 
things  that  ever  were,  are,  shall,  yea,  or  can  be,  in  the  world. 
For  God  being  the  Being  of  all  beings,  in  seeing  him,  we  shall 
not  only  see  whatsoever  hath  been,  but  whatsoever  can  be  com- 


Tlioughts  on  Religion.  89 

municated  from  him.  The  contemplation  of  which  cannot 
but  ravish  and  transport  my  spirit  beyond  itself ;  especially 
when  I  consider,  that  in  knowing  this  one-all-things,  God,  1 
cannot  but  enjoy  whatsoever  it  is  possible  any  creature  should 
enjoy.  For  the  knowing  of  a  thing  is  the  soul's  enjoyment  of 
it ;  the  understanding  being  to  the  soul,  what  the  senses  are 
to  the  body.  And,  therefore,  as  the  body  enjoys  nothing  but 
by  its  senses,  so  neither  doth  the  soul  enjoy  any  thing  but  by 
its  understanding  :  and,  as  the  body  is  said  to  have  whatsoever 
affects  its  proper  senses,  so  may  the  soul  be  said  to  have  what- 
soever comes  under  its  knowledge.  Nay,  the  soul  so  far  hath 
what  it  knows,  that  in  a  manner  it  is  what  it  knows  ;  itself 
being  in  a  spiritual  manner  enlarged,  according  to  the  extent 
of  the  objects  which  it  knows,  as  the  body  is  by  the  meat  it 
eats  ;  the  truths  we  know  turning  into  the  substance  of  our 
souls,  as  the  meat  we  eat  doth  into  the  substance  of  our 
bodies. 

But  oh  !  what  a  rare  soul  shall  I  then  have,  when  it  shall  be 
extended  to  every  thing  that  ever  was,  or  ever  could  have 
been !  What  a  happy  creature  shall  I  then  be,  when  I  shall 
know,  and  so  enjoy  him  that  is  all  things  in  himself !  What 
ean  a  creature  desire  more !  yea,  what  more  can  a  creature 
be  made  capable  of  enjoying  or  desiring !  And  that  which 
will  always  accompany  this  our  knowledge  and  enjoyment,  is 
perfect  love  to  what  we  enjoy  and  know,  without  which  we 
should  take  pleasure  in  nothing,  though  we  should  have  all 
things  to  take  pleasure  in.  But,  who  will  be  able  not  to  love 
the  chiefest  good,  that  knows  and  enjoys  him,  and  therefore 
enjoys  him  because  he  knows  him  ?  Questionless,  in  heaven? 
as  I  shall  enjoy  whatsoever  I  can  love,  so  shall  I  love  whatso- 
ever I  enjoy.  And  this,  therefore,  I  believe  to  be  the  perfec- 
tion of  my  happiness,  and  the  happiness  of  my  perfection,  in 
the  other  world  ;  that  I  shall  perfectly  know  and  love,  and  so 
perfectly  enjoy  and  rejoice  in,  the  most  high  God  ;  and  shall 
be,  as  known,  so  perfectly  loved  and  rejoiced  in  by  him.  And, 
questionless,  for  all  our  shallow  apprehensions  and  low  esti- 
mations of  these  things  now,  they  cannot  choose  but  be  vast 
and  inconceivable  pleasures,  too  great  for  any  creature  to  en- 
joy whilst  here  below. 

If  we  have  but  the  least  drop  of  these  pleasures  distilled 
into  us  here  upon  earth,  how  strangely  do  they  make  us,  as  it 
were  besides  ourselves,  by  lifting  us  above  ourselves  !  If  we 
can  but  at  any  time  get  a  glimpse  of  God,  and  of  his  love  to 
us,  how  are  we  immediately  carried  beyond  all  other  pleasures 
and  contentments  whatsoever  !    How  apt  are  we  to  say,  with 

H2 


90  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

Peter,  It  is  good  for  us  to  be  here !  And,  if  the  foretastes  of 
the  blessings  of  Canaan,  if  the  dark  intimations  of  God's  love 
to  us,  be  so  unspeakably  pleasant,  so  ravishingly  delightsome; 
oh !  what  will  the  full  possession  of  him  be  !  What  transporting 
ecstasies  of  love  and  joy  shall  those  blessed  souls  be  possessed 
with,  who  shall  behold  the  King  of  glory  smiling  upon  them, 
rejoicing  over  them,  and  shining  forth  in  all  his  love  and  glory 
upon  them  !  Oh !  what  astonishing  beauty  will  they  then  be- 
hold !  What  flowing,  what  refreshing  pleasures,  shall  then 
solace  and  delight  their  spirits,  unto  all  eternity !  Pleasures, 
far  greater  than  I  am  able  either  to  express  or  conceive,  much 
less  to  enjoy,  on  this  side  heaven !  My  faculties  are  now  too 
narrow  and  scanty  for  such  an  entertainment  ;  and,  therefore, 
till  they  are  spiritualized  and  enlarged,  they  cannot  receive  it. 
This  is  the  portion  only  of  another  world,  this  the  crown  of 
righteousness,  which  the  Lord  the  righteous  Judge  reserves  in 
heaven  for  me,  and  which,  at  his  second  coming,  he  has  pro- 
mised to  bestow  upon  me,  and  not  upon  me  only,  but  upon  all 
tfiem  also  that  love  his  appearing ! 

As  to  the  other  state,  viz.  that  of  the  wicked  in  another  life, 
I  believe  it  will  be  as  exquisitely  miserable  and  wretched,  as 
that  of  the  righteous  is  happy  and  glorious  :  they  will  be  driven 
for  ever  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord,  from  those  bright  and 
blessed  regions  above,  where  Christ  sits  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  to  those  dark  and  dismal  dungeons  below,  where  the 
devil  and  his  angels  are  for  ever  doomed  to  be  tormented. 

What  sort  of  torments  or  punishments  they  are  there  to  un- 
dergo, I  am  as  unable  to  express,  as  I  am  unwilling  ever  to 
experience  ;  but,  according  to  the  notions  which  Scripture  and 
reason  give  me  of  these  matters,  I  believe  they  will  be  twofold, 
viz.  1.  privative,  and,  2.  positive ;  i.  e.  the  wicked  will  not  only 
be  deprived  of  all  that  is  good  and  happy,  but  actually  con- 
demned to  all  that  is  evil  and  miserable  ;  and  that  in  the  most 
transcendent  degree. 

The  first  part  of  their  punishment  will  consist  in  envious, 
melancholy,  and  self-condemning,  reflections  upon  their  having 
defeated  and  deprived  themselves  not  only  of  their  carnal  mirth 
and  sensual  enjoyments,  their  friends,  fortunes,  and  estates  in 
this  world,  but  also  of  all  the  infinite  joys  and  glories  of  the 
next,  the  presence  of  God,  the  society  of  saints  and  angels, 
and  all  the  refreshing  and  ravishing  delights  which  flow  from 
the  fruition  of  the  chiefest  good  :  and  what  adds  yet  farther  to 
their  anguish  and  remorse  is,  that  they  have  lost  the  very  hopes 
of  ever  regaining  any  of  these  enjoyments  ! 

Oh  !  how  infinitely  tormenting  and  vexatious  must  such  a 


Thoughts  on  Religion.  91 

condition  be,  which  at  once  gives  them  a  view  both  of  the 
greatest  happiness,  and  the  greatest  misery,  without  the  least 
hopes  either  of  recovering  the  one,  or  being  delivered  from 
the  other !  How  must  they  tear,  torment,  and  curse  them- 
selves, for  their  former  follies  ;  and,  too  late,  wish  that  they 
had  been  stifled  in  the  womb,  or  drowned  in  the  font  which 
was  to  be  their  second  birth  ! 

And,  if  the  bare  privation  of  heaven  and  happiness  be  so 
miserable  and  tormenting,  how  will  it  rack  their  consciences, 
and  fill  their  souls  with  horror  and  amazement,  to  behold  the 
eternal  God,  the  glorious  Jehovah,  in  the  fierceness  of  his 
wrath,  continually  threatening  to  pour  out  his  vengeance  upon 
them !  How  much  more,  when  he  positively  consigns  them 
over  to  the  power  of  the  devil,  to  execute  his  judgment  in  full 
measure !  when  they  are  gnawed  upon  by  the  worm  of  their 
own  consciences,  feel  the  wrath  of  the  Almighty  flaming  in 
their  hearts,  and  fire  and  brimstone  their  continual  torture ! 
|  And  all  this,  without  the  least  allay  or  mixture  of  refreshment, 
or  the  least  hopes  of  ending  or  cessation  ! 

In  a  word  when  they  have  nothing  else  to  expect  but  misery 
for  their  portion,  weeping  and  wailing  for  their  constant  em- 
ployment, and  the  devil  and  damned  fiends  their  only  compan- 
ions to  all  eternity  !  And  this  is  that  world  of  misery,  which  all 
that  will  not  be  persuaded  to  believe  in  Christ  here,  must  be 
doomed  for  ever  to  live  in  hereafter  ! 

I  know,  the  subjects  of  this  article  were  never  the  objects 
of  my  sight,  though  they  are  of  my  faith.  I  never  yet  saw 
heaven  or  hell,  the  places  I  am  now  speaking  of ;  but  why 
should  my  faith  be  staggered  or  diminished  because  of  that  ? 
I  never  saw  Rome  or  Constantinople;  I  never  saw  the  flaming 
Sicilian  hill  iEtna  ;  yet  I  can  believe  there  is  such  a  burning 
mountain,  and  such  glorious  cities  ;  because  others,  who  have 
been  there,  have  told  me  so  ;  and  faithful  writers  have  related 
and  described  them  to  me.  And  shall  I  believe  my  fellow 
worms,  and  not  my  great  Creator,  who  is  truth  itself?  What 
though  I  never  did  see  the  new  Jerusalem  that  is  above,  nor 
the  flaming  Tophet  that  is  below  ;  yet,  since  God  himself  hath 
both  related  and  described  them  to  me,  why  should  I  doubt  of 
them  ?  Why  should  not  I  a  thousand  times  sooner  believe  them 
to  be,  than  if  I  had  seen  them  with  mine  own  eyes  ?  I  cannot 
so  much  believe  that  I  have  now  a  pen  in  my  hand,  have  a 
book  before  me,  and  am  writing  in  it,  as  I  do  and  ought  to 
believe,  that  I  shall  one  day,  and  that  ere  long,  be  either  in 
heaven,  or  in  hell ;  in  the  height  of  happiness  or  in  the  depth 
of  misery. 


9t  Thoughts  on  Religion. 

I  know  my  senses  are  fallible,  and  therefore  may  deceive 
me  ;  but  my  God,  I  am  sure  cannot.  And  therefore,  let 
others  raise  doubts  and  scruples  as  they  please,  I  am  as  fully 
satisfied  and  convinced  of  the  truth  of  this  article  as  any  of  the 
rest. 

Do  thou,  O  my  God,  keep  me  stedfast  in  this  faith,  and  give 
me  grace  so  to  fit  and  prepare  myself  to  appear  before  thee 
in  the  white  robes  of  purity  and  holiness  in  another  world,  that 
whenever  my  dissolution  comes,  I  may  cheerfully  resign  my 
spirit  into  the  hands  of  my  Creator  and  Redeemer  ;  and,  from 
this  crazy  house  of  clay, .  take  my  flight  into  the  mansions  of 
glory,  where  Christ  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God ;  and  with  the 
joyful  choir  of  saints  and  angels,  and  the  blessed  spirits  of  just 
men  made  perfect,  chant  forth  thy  praises  to  all  eternity  ! 


RESOLUTIONS 

FORMED  FROM  THE  FOREGOING 

ARTICLES. 


AS  obedience  without  faith  is  impossible,  so  faith  without 
obedience  is  vain  and  unprofitable  ;  for  as  the  body,  says  St. 
James,  without  the  spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  good  works 
is  dead  also,  James  ii.  26.  Having  therefore,  I  hope,  laid  a 
sure  foundation,  by  resolving  what  and  how  to  believe,  I  shall 
now,  by  the  grace  of  God,  resolve  so  to  order  my  conversa- 
tion, in  all  circumstances  and  conditions  of  life,  as  to  raise  a 

]  good  superstructure  upon  it,  and  to  finish  the  work  God  has 
given  me  to  do,  i.  e.  so  to  love  and  please  God  in  this  world, 
as  to  enjoy  and  be  happy  with  him  for  ever  in  the  next.     And 

I  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  I  should  be  speedy  and  serious 
in  these  resolutions  ;  especially  when  I  reflect  with  myself, 
how  much  of  my  time  I  have  already  spent  upon  the  vanities 
and  follies  of  youth,  and  how  much  enhanced  and  increased 
this  work,  by  acquired  guilt,  by  settled  and  repeated  habits 
of  sin,  which  are  not  without  great  difficulty  to  be  atoned  for 
and  removed.  My  heart,  alas !  is  now  more  hardened  in 
iniquity,  more  puffed  with  pride,  and  more  averse  from  God, 
than  when  I  first  entered  into  covenant  with  him  :  and  I  have 
added  many  actual  sins  and  provocations  to  my  original  guilt 
and  pollution  ;  instead  of  glorifying  God,  I  have  dishonoured 
him  ;  and  instead  of  working  out  my  own  salvation,  I  have 
taken  a  pleasure  and  delight  in  such  things  as  would,  in  the 
end,  be  my  ruin  and  destruction.  So  that  before  I  can  be 
able  to  make  any  progress  in  the  duties  of  religion,  or  walk  in 
the  paths  that  lead  to  life,  I  must  first  be  freed  and  disentan- 
gled from  these  weights  and  incumbrances  that  clog  and  re- 
tard me  in  my  spiritual  course  ;  I  must  have  my  heart  cleansed 
and  softened,  humbled  and  converted  to  God,  and  all  my  trans- 
gressions purged  and  pardoned  by  the  merits  of  my  Redeemer, 


94  Resolutions. 

And  then,  being  fully  persuaded  that  there  is  no  way  for  me 
to  come  to  the  joys  of  heaven,  but  by  walking  according  to 
the  strictest  rules  of  holiness  upon  earth,  I  must  endeavour  for 
the  future,  by  a  thorough  change  and  reformation  of  my  life, 
to  act  in  conformity  to  the  divine  will  and  pleasure  in  all  things, 
and  perfect  holiness  in  the  fear  of  the  Lord ;  for  the  Most 
High  has  told  me  in  his  word,  that  without  holiness  no  man 
shall  see  the  Lord. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  qualify  myelf  for  this  happiness,  it 
will  be  necessary  for  me  to  settle  firm  and  steady  resolutions  to 
fulfil  my  duty,  in  all  the  several  branches  of  it,  to  God,  my 
neighbour,  and  myself;  and  to  take  care  these  resolutions  be 
put  in  practice,  according  to  the  following  method. 


RESOLUTION  I. 

I  am  resolved  by   the  grace  of  God,  to   walk  by   rule ;  and 
therefore  think  it  necessary  to  resolve  upon  rules  to  walk  by.    \ 

And  this  the   rather,  because  I  perceive  the  want  of  such 
rules  has  been  the  occasion  of  all  or  most  of  my  miscarriages. 
For  what  other  reason  can  I  assign  to  myself  for  having  tri- 
fled and  sinned  away  so  much  time,  as  I  have  done  in  my 
younger  years,  but  because  I  did  not  throughly  resolve  to 
spend  it  better  ?     What  is  the  reason  I  have  hitherto  lived  so  ! 
unserviceably  to  God,  so  unprofitably  to  others,  and  so  sin- 
folly  against  my  own  soul,  but  because  I  did  not  apply  myself 
with  that  sincerity  of  resolution,  diligence,  and  circumspection,  ; 
as  a  wise  man  ought  to  have  done,  to  discharge  my  duty  in  i 
these  particulars  ?     I  have,  indeed,  often  resolved  to  bid  adieu 
to  my  sins  and  follies,  and  enter  upon  a  new  course  of  life ;  ,; 
but  these  resolutions  being  not  rightly  formed  upon  steady  prin- 
ciples, the  first  temptation  made  way  for  a   relapse,  and  the  J 
same  bait  that  first  allured  me  has  no  sooner  been  thrown  in  i 
my  way,  but  I  have  been  as  ready  to  catch  at  it  again,  and  as 
greedy  to  swallow  it,  as  ever.     At  other  times  again  I  have 
acted  without  any   thought    or   resolution  at   all  ;  and  then, 
though  some  of  my  actions  might  be  good  in  themselves,  yet, 
being  done  by  chance,  without  any  true  design  or  intention, 
they  could  not  be  imputed  to  me  as  good,  but  rather  the  quite 
contrary  :  so  that  in  this  respect  the  want  of  resolution  has  not 
only  been  the  occasion  of  my  sinful   actions,  but  the  corrup- 
tion of  my  good  ones  too.     And  shall  I  still  go  on  in  this  same 


Resolutions.  35 

loose  and  careless  manner  as  I  have  formerly  done  ?  No,  I 
now  resolve  with  myself,  in  the  presence  of  the  most  high  and 
eternal  God,  not  only  in  general  to  walk  by  rule,  but  to  fix 
the  rule  I  design  to  walk  by  ;  so  that  in  all  my  thoughts,  and 
words,  and  actions,  in  all  places,  companies,  relations,  and 
conditions,  I  may  still  have  a  sure  guide  at  hand  to  direct  me, 
such  a  one  as  I  can  safely  depend  upon,  without  any  danger  of 
being  deceived  or  misled,  i.  e.  the  holy  Scriptures.  And 
therefore, 


RESOLUTION  II. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  make  the  divine  word  the 
rule  of  all  the  rules  I  propose  to  myself. 

As  the  will  of  God  is  the  rule  and  measure  of  all  that  is 
good,  so  there  is  nothing  deserves  that  name  but  what  is  agree- 
able and  conformable  thereto  :  and  this  will  being  fully  re- 
vealed and  contained  in  the  holy  Scripture,  it  will  be  necessary 
for  me,  in  directing  my  course  over  the  ocean  of  this  world, 
that  I  should  fix  my  eye  continually  upon  this  star,  steer  by  this 
compass,  and  make  it  the  only  land-mark,  by  which  I  am  to  be 
guided  to  my  wished-for  haven.  I  must  not,  therefore,  have 
recourse  to  the  inward  workings  of  my  own  roving  fancy,  or 
the  corrupt  dictates  of  my  own  carnal  reason :  these  are  but 
blind  guides,  and  will  certainly  lead  me  into  the  ditch  of  error, 
heresy,  and  irreligion,  which,  in  these  our  self-admiring  days, 
so  many  poor  souls  have  been  plunged  in.  Alas  !  how  many 
hath  the  impetuous  torrent  of  blind  zeal  and  erroneous  con- 
science borne  down  into  a  will-worship,  and  voluntary  subjec- 
tion of  themselves  to  the  spurious  offspring  of  their  own  de- 
luded fancies  !  If  the  light  that  is  within  them  doth  but  dictate 
any  thing  to  be  done ;  or  rather,  if  the  whimsey  doth  but  take 
them,  that  they  must  do  thus  or  thus,  they  presently  set  about 
it,  without  ever  consulting  the  sacred  writings,  to  see  whether 
it  is  acceptable  to  God,  or  displeasing  to  him.  Whereas,  for 
my  own  part,  I  know  not  how  any  thing  should  be  worthy  of 
God's  accepting,  that  is  not  of  God's  commanding.  I  am  sure, 
the  word  of  God  is  the  good  old  way  that  will  certainly  bring 
me  to  my  Father's  house  ;  for  how  should  that  way  but  lead 
me  to  heaven,  which  truth  itself  has  chalked  out  for  me  ?  Not 
as  if  it  was  necessary,  that  every  one  of  my  resolutions  should 
be  contained,  word  for  word,  in  the  holy  Scriptures  ;  it  is  sum- 


96  Resolutions. 

cient  that  they  be  implied  in,  and  agreeable  thereto.  So  that 
though  the  manner  of  my  expressions  may  not  be  found  in  the 
word  of  God,  yet  the  matter  of  my  resolutions  may  clearly  be 
drawn  from  thence.  But  let  me  dive  a  little  into  the  depth  of 
my  sinful  heart !  What  is  the  reason  of  my  thus  resolving  upou 
such  an  exact  conformity  to  the  will  and  word  of  God  ?  Is  it 
to  work  my  way  to  heaven  with  mine  own  hands  ?  to  purchase 
an  inheritance  in  the  land  of  Canaan  with  the  price  of  my  own 
holiness  and  religion  ?  or  to  swim  over  the  ocean  of  this  world 
into  the  haven  of  happiness,  upon  the  empty  bladders  of  my 
own  resolutions  ?  No  : 


RESOLUTION  III. 

/  am  re-solved,  that  as  I  am  not  able  to  think  or  do  any  thing 
that  is  good,  without  the  influence  of  the  divine  grace ;  so  I 
wSL  not  pretend  to  merit  any  favour  from  God.  upon  aceoitnt 
of  any  thing  I  do  for  his  glory  and  service. 

A>"D  indeed,  I  may  very  well  put  this  resolution  amongst  the 
rest  ;  for  should  I  resolve  to  perform  my  resolutions  by  mine 
own  strength,  I  might  as  well  resolve  never  to  perform  them 
at  all :  for  truth  itself,  and  mine  own  woful  experience,  hatii 
convinced  me,  that  I  am  not  able  of  myself  so  much  as  to  think 
a  good  thought ,  and  how  then  shall  I  be  able  of  myself  to 
resolve  upon  rules  of  holiness,  according  to  the  word  of  God, 
or  to  order  my  conversation  according  to  these  involutions, 
without  the  concurrence  of  the  divine  grace  ?  Alas  !  should 
the  great  God  be  pleased  to  leave  me  to  myself,  to  resolve 
upon  what  is  agreeable  to  my  corrupt  nature,  what  strange 
kind  of  resolution  should  I  make  ?  What  should  I  resolve  upon  I 
Certainly,  only  nothing  but  to  gratify  my  carnal  appetite  with 
sensual  and  sinful  pleasures,  to  indulge  myself  in  riot  and  ex- 
cess, to  spend  my  time,  and  ravel  out  my  parts  and  talents,  in 
the  revels  of  sin  and  vanity.  But  now  to  live  holily.  righteously, 
and  godlihj  in  this  present  irorld,  to  deny  my  own.  that  I  may 
fulfil  the  will  of  God  ;  alas  !  such  resolutions  as  these  would 
never  so  much  as  come  into  my  thoughts,  much  less  would  they 
discover  themselves  in  my  outward  conversation. 

But,  suppose  I  should  be  able  to  make  good  resolutions,  and 
fulfil  them  exactly  in  my  life  and  actions  ;  yet.  what  should  I 
do  more  than  my  duty  ?  And  what  should  I  be  esteemed  of  for 
doing  that  ?  Alas  !  this  is  so  far  from  puffing  me  up,  that  I  am 


Resolutions.  97 

verily  persuaded,  should  I  spend  all  my  time,  my  parts,  my 
strength,  my  gifts,  for  God,  and  all  my  estate  upon  the  poor  ; 
should  I  water  my  couch  continually  with  my  tears,  and  fast  my 
body  into  a  skeleton  ;  should  I  employ  each  moment  of  my 
life  in  the  immediate  worship  of  my  glorious  Creator,  so  that 
all  my  actions,  from  my  birth  to  my  death,  should  be  but  one 
continued  act  of  holiness  and  obedience  ;  in  a  word,  should  I 
live  like  an  angel  in  heaven,  and  die  like  a  saint  on  earth,  yet 
I  know  no  truer,  nor  should  I  desire  any  better  epitaph  to  be 
engraven  upon  my  tomb  than  this,  Here  lies  an  unprofitable 
servant.  No,  no  ;  it  is  Christ,  and  Christ  alone,  that  my  soul 
must  support  itself  upon.  It  is  holiness,  indeed,  that  is  the 
way  to  heaven  ;  but  there  is  none,  none  but  Christ  can  lead  me 
to  it.  As  the  worst  of  my  sins  are  pardonable  by  Christ,  so 
are  the  best  of  my  duties  damnable  without  him. 

But  if  so,  then  whither  tend  my  resolutions  ?  Why  so  strict, 
so  circumspect  a  conversation  ?  Why,  it  is  to  justify  that  faith 
before  others,  and  mine  own  conscience,  which,  I  hope,  through 
Christ,  shall  justify  my  soul  before  God.  And  I  believe  farther, 
that  the  holier  I  live  here,  the  happier  I  shall  live  hereafter  ; 
for  though  I  shall  not  be  saved  for  my  works,  yet  I  believe  I 
shall  be  saved  according  to  them.  And  thus,  as  I  dare  not 
expect  to  be  saved  by  the  performance  of  my  resolutions,  with- 
out Christ's  merit,  so  neither  do  I  ever  expect  to  be  enabled 
to  perform  my  resolutions,  without  his  Spirit  assisting  me 
therein. 

No ;  it  is  thyself,  my  God  and  my  guide,  that  I  wholly  and 
solely  depend  upon  !  Oh !  for  thine  own  name's  sake,  forj  thy 
Son's  sake,  and  for  thy  promise  sake,  do  thou  both  make  me 
to  know  what  thou  wouldest  have  me  to  do,  and  then  he]p  me 
to  do  what  thou  wouldest  have  me  to  know !  Teach  me  first 
what  to  resolve  upon,  and  then  enable  me  to  perform  my  reso- 
lutions ;  that  I  may  walk  with  thee  in  the  ways  of  holiness 
here,  and  rest  with  thee  in  the  joys  of  happiness  hereafter  ! 


CONCERNING  MY  CONVERSATION  IN  GENERAL. 

Having  thus  far  determined  in  general  to  form  resolutions 
for  the  better  regulating  of  my  life,  I  must  now  descend  to 
particulars,  and  settle  some  rules  with  myself,  to  resolve  my 
future  life  and  conversation  wholly  into  holiness  and  re 
ligion.  I  know  this  is  a  hard  task  to  do  ;  but  I  am  sure  it 
is  no  more  than  what  my  God  and  my  Father  has  set  me : 

I 


98  Resolutions. 

why,  therefore,  should  I  think  much  to  do  it  ?  Shall  I  grudge 
to  spend  my  life  for  him,  who  did  not  grudge  to  spend  his  own 
blood  for  me  ?  Shall  not  I  so  live,  that  he  may  be  glorified  on 
earth,  who  died,  that  I  might  be  glorified  in  heaven  ?  Espe- 
cially considering,  that  if  my  whole  life  could  be  sublimated 
into  holiness,  and  moulded  into  an  exact  conformity  unto  the 
will  of  the  Most  High,  I  should  be  happy  beyond  expression  ? 
Oh !  what  a  heaven  should  I  then  live  on  earth  !  what  ravish- 
ments of  love  and  joy  would  my  soul  be  continually  possessed 
with !  Well,  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  try  ;  and 
to  that  end  do,  this  morning,  wholly  sequester  and  set  myself 
apart  for  God,  resolving,  by  the  assistance  of  his  grace,  to 
make  all  and  every  thought,  word,  and  action,  to  pay  their 
tribute  unto  him.  Let  this  man  mind  his  profit,  a  second  his 
pleasures,  a  third  his  honours,  a  fourth  himself,  and  all  their 
sins ;  I  am  resolved  to  mind  and  serve  my  God,  so  as  to  make 
him  the  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the  last  of  my  whole 
life.  And,  that  I  may  always  have  an  exact  copy  before  me, 
to  write  and  frame  every  letter  of  this  my  life  by, 


RESOLUTION  I. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  make  Christ  the  pattern 
of  my  life  here,  that  so  Christ  may  be  the  portion  of  my  soul 
hereafter. 

Let  the  whole  world  go  whither  it  will,  I  am  resolved  to 
walk  in  the  steps  that  my  Saviour  went  in  before  me  :  I  shall 
endeavour,  in  all  places  I  come  into,  in  all  companies  I  con- 
verse with,  in  all  the  duties  I  undertake,  in  all  the  miseries  1  un- 
dergo, still  to  behave  myself  as  my  Saviour  would  do,  was  he 
in  my  place.  So  that  wheresoever  I  am,  or  whatsoever  I  am 
about,  I  shall  still  put  this  question  to  myself,  Would  my  Sa- 
viour go  hither  ?  Would  he  do  this  or  that  ?  And,  every  morn- 
ing, consider  with  myself,  Suppose  my  Saviour  was  in  my 
stead,  had  my  business  to  do,  how  would  he  demean  himself 
this  day  ?  How  meek  and  lowly  would  he  be  in  his  carriage 
and  deportment  ?  How  circumspect  in  his  walking  ?  How  sa- 
voury in  his  discourse  ?  How  heavenly  in  all,  even  his  earthly 
employments  ?  Well ;  and  I  am  resolved,  by  strength  from 
himself,  to  follow  him  as  near  as  possible.  I  know,  I  can  ne- 
ver hope  perfectly  to  transcribe  his  copy,  but  I  must  endeavour 
to  imitate  it  in  the  best  manner  I  can,  that  so  by  doing  as  he 


Resolutions.  99 

did  in  time,  I  may  be  where  he  is  to  all  eternity.  But,  alas  ! 
his  life  was  spiritual,  and  /  am  carnal,  sold  under  sin ;  and 
every  petty  object  that  doth  but  please  my  senses,  will  be  apt 
to  divert  and  draw  away  my  soul  from  following  his  steps.  In 
order,  therefore,  to  prevent  this, 


RESOLUTION  II. 

lam  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  walk  by  faith,  and  not  by 
sight,  on  earth,  that  so  I  may  live  by  sight,  and  not  by  faith,  in 
heaven. 

And  truly,  this  resolution  is  so  necessary  to  the  performance 
of  all  the  rest,  that  without  it  I  can  do  nothing,  with  it  I  can  do 
every  thing  that  is  required.  The  reason  why  I  am  so  much 
taken  with  the  garnish  and  seeming  beauty  of  this  world's  va- 
nities, so  as  to  step  out  of  the  road  of  holiness  to  catch  at,  or 
delight  myself  in  them,  is  only  because  I  look  upon  them  with 
an  eye  of  sense.  For  could  I  behold  every  thing  with  the  eye 
of  faith,  I  should  judge  of  them  not  as  they  seem  to  me,  but  as 
they  are  in  themselves,  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit.  For  faith 
has  a  quick  and  piercing  eye,  that  can  look  through  the  out- 
ward superficies,  into  the  inward  essence  of  things.  It  can 
look  through  the  pleasing  bait  to  the  hidden  hook,  view  the 
sting,  as  well  as  the  honey,  the  everlasting  punishment,  as  well 
as  the  temporal  contentment  there  is  in  sin.  It  is,  as  the 
Apostle  very  well  defines  it,  the  substance  of  things  hoped  for, 
and  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen,  Heb.  xi.  1.  It  is  the  sub- 
stance of  whatsoever  is  promised  by  God  to  me,  or  expected 
by  me  from  him  :  so  that,  by  faith,  whatsoever  I  hope  for  in 
heaven,  I  may  have  the  substance  of  upon  earth  :  and  it  is  the 
evidence  of  things  not  seen,  the  presence  of  what  is  absent,  the 
clear  demonstration  of  what  would  otherwise  seem  impossible  ; 
so  that  I  can  clearly  discern,  as  through  a  prospective,  hidden 
things,  and  things  afar  off,  as  if  they  were  open,  and  just  at 
hand.  I  can  look  into  the  deepest  mysteries,  as  fully  revealed, 
and  see  heaven  and  eternity  as  just  ready  to  receive  me. 

And,  oh !  could  I  but  always  look  through  this  glass,  and 
be  constantly  upon  the  mount,  taking  a  view  of  the  land  of 
Canaan,  what  dreams  and  shadows  would  all  things  here  be- 
low appear  to  be  ?  Well ;  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  am  resolv- 
ed no  longer  to  tie  myself  to  sense  and  sight,  the  sordid  and 
trifling  affairs  of  this  life,  but  always  to  walk  as  one  of  the 


100  Resolutions. 

other  world,  to  behave  myself  in  all  places,  and  at  all  times, 
as  one  already  possessed  of  my  inheritance,  and  an  inhabitant 
of  the  new  Jerusalem :  by  faith  assuring  myself,  I  have  but 
a  few  more  days  to  live  below,  a  little  more  work  to  do,  and 
then  I  shall  lay  aside  my  glass,  and  be  admitted  to  a  nearer 
vision  and  fruition  of  God,  and  see  him  face  to  face. 

Ey  this  means,  I  shall  always  live,  as  if  I  was  daily  to  die ; 
always  speak,  as  if  my  tongue,  the  next  moment,  were  to 
cleave  to  the  roof  of  my  mouth ;  and  continually  order  my 
thoughts  and  affections  in  such  a  manner,  as  if  my  soul  were 
just  ready  to  depart,  and  take  its  flight  into  the  other  world. 
By  this  means,  whatsoever  place  I  am  in,  or  whatsoever  work 
I  am  about,  I  shall  still  be  with  my  God,  and  demean  myself 
so,  as  if,  with  St.  Jerome,  I  heard  the  voice  of  the  trumpet 
crying  out,  Awake,  ye  dead,  and  come  to  judgment. 

And  thus,  though  I  am  at  present  here  in  the  flesh,  yet  I 
shall  look  upon  myself  as  more  really  an  inhabitant  of  heaven, 
than  I  am  upon  earth.  Here  I  am  but  as  a  pilgrim  or  sojourn- 
er, that  has  no  abiding  city ;  but  there  I  have  a  sure  and  ever- 
lasting inheritance,  which  Christ  has  purchased  and  prepared 
for  me,  and  which  faith  has  given  me  the  possession  of.  And, 
therefore,  as  it  is  my  duty,  so  will  I  constantly  make  it  my 
endeavour,  to  live  up  to  the  character  of  a  true  Christian, 
whose  portion  and  conversation  is  in  heaven,  and  think 
it  a  disgrace  and  disparagement  to  my  profession,  to  stoop  to, 
or  entangle  myself  with,  such  toys  and  trifles,  as  the  men  of 
the  world  busy  themselves  about ;  or  to  feed  upon  husks,  with 
swine,  here  below,  when  it  is  in  my  power,  by  faith,  to  be 
continually  supplied  with  spiritual  manna  from  heaven,  till  at 
last  I  am  admitted  to  it.  And  that  I  may  awe  my  spirit  into 
the  performance  of  these,  and  all  other  my  resolutions, 


RESOLUTION  III. 

J  am  resolved  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  be  looking  upon 
God,  as  always  looking  upon  me. 

Wheresoever  I  am,  or  whatsoever  I  am  a  doing,  I  must 
still  consider  the  eye  of  the  great  God  as  directly  intent  upon 
me,  viewing  and  observing  all  my  thoughts,  words,  and  ac- 
tions, and  writing  them  down  in  the  book  of  his  remembrance  ; 
and  that  all  these,  unless  they  be  washed  out  with  the  tears 
of  repentance,    and  crossed    with  the    blood  of  my  cruci- 


Resolutions.  101 

fied  Saviour,  must  still  remain  on  record,  and  be  brought 
in  judgment  against  me  at  the  great  day.  That,  therefore,  I 
may  always  behave  myself  as  in  his  presence,  it  behoves  me 
thoroughly  to  consider,  and  be  persuaded,  not  only  that  my 
outward  man,  but  even  all  the  secret  thoughts,  the  inward 
motions  and  retirements  of  my  soul,  all  the  several  windings 
and  turnings  of  my  heart,  are  exactly  known  and  manifest,  as 
anatomized  before  him.  He  knows  what  I  am  now  a  thinking, 
doing,  and  writing,  as  well  as  I  do  myself;  yea,  he  sees  every 
word  whilst  it  is  in  my  heart,  before  it  be  brought  forth  and 
set  down.  He  knows  all  the  resolutions  I  have  made,  and  how 
often,  poor  creature!  I  have  broken  them  already,  since  I 
made  them. 

Upon  this  consideration,  I  resolve  to  stand  my  ground  a- 
gainst  all  temptations  ;  and  whenever  I  find  myself  in  danger 
to  be  drawn  aside  by  them,  to  oppose  the  bent  of  my  corrupt 
affections  by  these  or  the  like  questions :  Am  I  really  in  the 
presence  of  the  Almighty,  the  great  Lord  of  heaven  and  earth, 
and  shall  I  presume  to  affront  him  to  his  face,  by  doing  such 
things  as  I  know  are  odious  and  displeasing  to  him  ?  I  would 
not  commit  adultery  in  the  sight  of  my  fellow-creatures, 
and  shall  I  do  it  in  the  presence  of  the  glorious  Jehovah  ?  I 
would  not  steal  in  the  sight  of  an  earthly  judge,  and  shall 
I  do  it  before  the  Judge  of  all  the  world  ?  If  fear  and  shame 
from  men  have  such  an  influence  upon  me,  as  to  deter  me  from 
the  commission  of  sin,  how  ought  I  to  be  moved  with  the  ap- 
prehension of  God's  inspection,  who  does  not  only  know  my 
transgressions,  but  will  eternally  punish  me  for  them  ? 

May  these  thoughts  and  considerations  always  take  place  in 
my  heart,  and  be  accompanied  with  such  happy  effects  in  my 
conversation,  that  I  may  live  with  God  upon  earth,  and  so  love 
and  fear  his  presence  in  this  world,  that  I  may  forever  enjoy 
his  glory  in  the  next ! 


CONCERNING  MY  THOUGHTS. 

But  who  am  I,  poor,  proud,  sinful  dust  and  ashes,  that  I 
should  expect  ever  to  live  so  holy,  so  heavenly,  as  is  here  sup- 
posed 1  Can  grapes  be  gathered  from  thorns,  or  figs  from  this- 
tles ?  Can  the  fruit  be  sweet,  when  the  root  is  bitter  ?  or  the 
streams  healthful,  when  the  fountain  is  poisoned  ?  No  ;  I  must 
either  get  me  a  new  and  better  heart,  or  else  it  will  be  impos- 
sible for  me  ever  to  lead  a  new  and  better  life.     But  how  must 

12 


102  Resolutions. 

I  come  by  this  pearl  of  inestimable  value,  a  new  heart  ?  Can 
I  purchase  it  with  my  own  riches  ?  or  find  it  in  my  own  field  1 
Can  I  raise  it  from  sin  to  holiness  ?  from  earth  to  heaven  ?  or 
from  myself  to  God  ?  Alas  !  I  have  endeavoured  it,  but  I  find, 
by  woeful  experience,  I  cannot  attain  to  it :  I  have  been  lift- 
ing and  heaving  again  and  again,  to  raise  it  out  of  the  mire 
and  clay  of  sin  and  corruption  ;  but,  alas !  it  will  not  stir :  I 
have  rubbed  and  chafed  it  with  one  threatening  after  another, 
and  all  to  get  heat  and  life  into  it ;  but  still  it  is  as  cold  and 
dead  as  ever  :  I  have  brought  it  to  the  promises,  and  set  it  un- 
der the  droppings  of  the  sanctuary ;  I  have  shown  it  the  beauty 
of  Christ,  and  the  deformity  of  sin  ;  but  yet  it  is  a  hard  and 
sinful,  an  earthly  and  sensual  heart  still.  What,  therefore, 
shall  I  do  with  it  ?  O  my  God,  I  bring  it  unto  thee  !  Thou 
that  madest  it  a  heart  at  first,  canst  only  make  it  a  new  heart 
now !  O  do  thou  purify  and  refine  it,  and  renew  a  right  spirit 
within  me !  Do  thou  take  it  into  thy  hands,  and,  out  of  thine 
infinite  goodness,  new  mould  it  up,  by  thine  own  grace,  into 
an  exact  conformity  to  thine  own  will !  Do  thou  but  give  me  a 
new  heart,  and  I  shall  promise  thee,  by  thy  grace,  to  lead  a 
new  life,  and  become  a  new  creature  !  Do  thou  but  clear  the 
fountain,  and  I  shall  endeavour  to  look  to  the  streams  that 
flow  from  it !  which  that  I  may  be  able  to  do,  with  the  better 
success, 


RESOLUTION  I. 

7  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  watch  as  much  over  the 
inward  motions  of  my  heart,  as  the  outward  actions  of  my 
life. 

For  my  heart,  I  perceive,  is  the  womb,  in  which  all  sin  is 
first  conceived,  and  from  which,  my  Saviour  tells  me,  proceed 
evil  thoughts,  adulteries,  fornications,  murders,  thefts,  coret- 
ousness,  wickedness,  deceit,  lasciviousness,  an  evil  eye,  blas- 
phemy, pride,  foolishness,  Mark  vii.  21,  22.  So  that,  as  ever 
I  would  prevent  the  commission  of  these  sins  in  my  life,  I  must 
endeavour  to  hinder  their  conception  in  my  heart,  following  the 
wise  man's  counsel,  to  keep  my  heart  with  all  diligence,  because 
out  of  it  are  the  issues  of  life,  Prov.  iv.  23.  Neither  is  this  the 
only  reason  ,why  I  should  set  so  strict  a  watch  over  my  heart, 
because  sinful  thoughts  lead  to  sinful  acts ;  but  because  the 
thoughts  themselves  are  sinful,  yea,  the  very  first-born  of  ini- 


Resolutions.  103 

quity  ;  which  though  men  cannot  pry  into  or  discover,  yet  the 
all-seeing  God  knows  and  observes,  and  remembers  them,  as 
well  as  the  greatest  actions  of  all  my  life.  And  oh !  what 
wicked  and  profane  thoughts  have  I  formerly  entertained,  not 
only  against  God,  but  against  Christ,  by  questioning  the  justice 
of  his  laws,  and  doubting  of  the  truth  of  his  revelation,  so  as 
to  make  both  his  life  and  death  of  none  effect  to  me  !  Which 
that  they  may  never  be  laid  to  my  charge  hereafter,  I  humbly 
beseech  God  to  pardon  and  absolve  me  from  them,  and  to  give 
me  grace,  for  the  remainder  of  my  life,  to  be  as  careful  of 
thinking,  as  of  doing  well,  and  as  fearful  of  offending  him  in 
my  heart,  as  of  transgressing  his  laws  in  my  life  and  conver- 
sation.    To  this  end, 


RESOLUTION  II. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  stop  every  thought  at 
its  first  entering  into  my  heart,  and  to  examine  it  whence  it 
comes,  and  whither  it  tends. 

So  soon  as  ever  any  new  thought  begins  to  bubble  in  my 
soul,  I  am  resolved  to  examine,  what  stamp  it  is  of,  whether  it 
spring  from  the  pure  fountain  of  living  waters,  or  the  polluted 
streams  of  my  own  affections  ;  as  also,  which  way  it  tends,  or 
takes  its  course,  towards  the  ocean  of  happiness,  or  the  pit  of 
destruction.  And  the  reason  of  this  my  resolution,  I  draw  from 
the  experience  I  have  had  of  the  devil's  temptations,  and  the 
working  of  my  own  corruptions ;  by  which  I  find,  that  there 
is  no  sin  I  am  betrayed  into,  but  what  takes  its  rise  from  my 
inward  thoughts.  These  are  the  tempters  that  first  present 
some  pleasing  object  to  my  view,  and  then  bias  my  under- 
standing, and  pervert  my  will,  to  comply  with  the  suggestions. 
So  that,  though  the  Spirit  of  God  is  pleased  to  dart  a  beam 
into  my  heart  at  the  same  time,  and  shew  me  the  odious  and 
dangerous  effects  of  such  thoughts  ;  yet,  I  know  not  how  or 
why,  I  find  a  prevailing  suggestion  within,  that  tells  me,  it  is 
but  a  thought,  and  that  so  long  as  it  goes  no  farther,  it  cannot 
do  me  much  hurt.  Under  this  specious  colour  and  pretence, 
I  secretly  persuade  myself  to  dwell  a  little  longer  upon  it ;  and 
finding  my  heart  pleased  and  delighted  with  its  natural  issue,  I 
give  it  a  little  farther  indulgence,  till,  at  last,  my  desire  breaks 
out  into  a  flame,  and  will  be  satisfied  with  nothing  less  than  the 
enjoyment  of  the  object  it  is  exercised  upon.  And  what  water 


104  Resolutions. 

can  quench  such  a  raging  fire,  as  is  thus  kindled  by  the  devil, 
and  blown  up  by  the  bellows  of  my  own  inordinate  affections, 
which  the  more  I  think  of,  the  more  I  increase  the  flame  ?  How 
nearly,  therefore,  does  it  concern  me  to  take  up  this  resolution 
of  setting  a  constant  watch  and  guard  at  the  door  of  my  heart, 
that  nothing  may  enter  in  without  a  strict  examination  ?  Not 
as  if  I  could  examine  every  particular  thought  that  arises  in 
my  heart,  for  by  that  means  I  should  do  nothing  else  but  ex- 
amine my  thoughts  without  intermission.  But  this  I  must  do  ; 
whensoever  I  find  any  thought  that  bears  the  face  or  appear- 
ance of  sin,  I  must  throw  it  aside,  with  the  utmost  abhorrence  : 
and  when  it  comes  in  disguise,  as  the  devil  under  Samuel's 
mantle,  or  when  it  is  a  thought  I  never  conceived  before,  and 
know  not  but  it  may  be  bad,  as  well  as  good  ;  then,  before  I 
suffer  it  to  settle  upon  my  spirits,  I  must  examine,  as  well  as  I 
can,  whether  it  be  sent  from  heaven  or  hell,  and  what  message 
it  comes  about,  and  what  will  be  the  issue  of  it.  And  thus,  by 
the  divine  assistance,  I  shall  let  nothing  into  my  heart,  but  what 
will  bring  me  nearer  to  my  God,  and  set  me  at  a  greater  dis- 
tance from  the  evil  and  punishment  of  sin.  Neither  do  I  think 
it  my  duty  only  to  be  so  watchful  against  such  thoughts  as  are 
in  themselves  sinful ;  but, 


RELOLUTION  III. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  be  as  fearful  to  let  in 
vain,  as  careful  to  keep  out  sinful  thoughts. 

I  do  not  look  upon  vain  thoughts  as  only  tending  to  sin,  but 
as  in  themselves  sinful ;  for  that  which  makes  sin  to  be  sin,  is 
the  want  of  conformity  to  the  will  of  God  ;  and  that  vain 
thoughts  are  not  conformable  and  agreeable  to  the  divine  will, 
appears  in  that  God  himself,  by  the  mouth  of  his  royal  prophet, 
expressly  saith,  I  hate  vain  thoughts,  Psalm  cxix.  113.  Again, 
vain  thoughts  are  therefore  sinful,  because  they  have  in  them 
nothing  that  can  denominate  them  good  :  for  as,  in  a  moral 
sense,  there  is  never  a  particular  individual  act,  so  neither  is 
there  any  particular  thought,  but  what  is  either  good  or  bad, 
in  some  respect  or  other.  There  is  not  a  moment  of  my  life, 
but  it  is  my  duty  either  to  be  thinking,  or  speaking,  or  doing 
good  ;  so  that  whensoever  I  am  not  thus  employed,  I  come 
short  of  my  duty,  and,  by  consequence,  am  guilty  of  sin. 

But  what  are  these  vain  thoughts  I  am  thus  resolving  against  ? 


Resolutions.  105 

Why,  all  wanderings  and  distractions  in  prayer,  or  in  hearing 
the  word  of  God  ;  all  useless,  trifling,  and  impertinent  thoughts, 
that  do  not  belong  to,  nor  further,  the  work  I  am  about,  the 
grand  affair  of  my  salvation,  may  properly  be  called  vain 
thoughts.  And,  alas !  what  swarms  of  these  are  continually 
crowding  into  my  heart  ?  How  have  I  thought  away  whole  hours 
together,  about  I  know  not  what  chimeras,  whereof  one  scarce 
ever  depends  upon  another  :  sometimes  entertaining  myself 
with  the  pleasures  of  sense,  as  eating  and  drinking,  and  such- 
like earthly  enjoyments  ;  sometimes  building  castles  in  the  air, 
and  clambering  up  to  the  pinnacle  of  wealth  and  honour,  which 
I  am  not  half  way  got  up  to,  but  down  I  fall  again  into  a  fool's 
paradise ! 

Or,  if  I  chance,  at  any  time,  to  think  a  good  while  upon  one 
thing,  it  is  just  to  as  much  purpose  as  the  man's  thoughts  were, 
which  I  have  sometimes  heard  of,  and  smiled  at,  who  having 
an  egg  in  his  hand,  by  a  sort  of  chimerical  climax,  improved 
it  into  an  estate  ;  but  while  he  was  thus  pleasing  himself  with 
these  imaginary  products,  down  dropped  the  egg,  and  all  his 
hens,  and  cattle,  and  house,  and  land,  that  he  had  raised  from 
it,  vanished  in  the  fall.  These  and  such  like  are  the  vain  thoughts 
that  Imust,  for  the  future,  endeavour  to  avoid  ;  and  though  it 
will  be  impossible  for  me  wholly  to  prevent  their  first  entering 
into  my  mind,  yet  I  resolve,  by  the  grace  of  God,  not  to  har- 
bour or  dwell  upon,  or  delight  myself  in  them.  And  then,  not- 
withstanding they  are  in  some  sense  sinful,  yet  they  will  not  be 
imputed  to  me  as  such,  provided  I  use  my  utmost  endeavours 
to  avoid  them.     Which  that  I  may  be  the  better  able  to  do, 


RESOLUTION  IV. 

J  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  be  alivays  exercising 
my  thoughts  upon  good  objects,  that  the  devil  may  not  exer- 
cise them  upon  bad. 

The  soul,  being  a  spiritual  substance  is  always  in  action, 
and  its  proper  and  immediate  act  is  thinking,  which  is  as  natu- 
ral and  proper  to  the  soul,  as  extension  is  to  the  body  :  it  is 
that  upon  which  all  the  other  actions  of  the  soul  are  grounded  ; 
so  that  neither  our  apprehensions  of,  nor  affections  to,  any 
object,  can  be  acted  without  it.  And  hence  it  is,  that  I  think 
the  soul  is  very  properly  defined,  substantia  cogitans,  a  think- 
ing substance  ;  for  there  is  nothing  else  but  a  spirit  can  think, 


106  Resolutions. 

and  there  is  no  spirit  but  always  doth  think.  And  this  I  find, 
by  experience,  to  be  so  true  and  certain,  that  if  at  any  time  I 
have  endeavoured  to  think  of  nothing,  (as  I  have  sometimes 
done,)  I  have  spent  all  the  time  in  thinking  upon  that  very 
thought. 

How  much,  therefore,  doth  it  concern  me  to  keep  my  soul 
in  continual  exercise  upon  what  is  good  ?  for  be  sure,  if  I  do 
not  set  it  on  work,  the  devil  will ;  and  if  it  do  not  work  for 
God,  it  will  wrork  for  him  :  I  know,  sinful  objects  are  more 
agreeable  to  a  sinful  soul ;  but  I  amj  sure,  holy  thoughts  are 
more  conformable  to  a  holy  God.  Why  therefore  should  I 
spend  and  ravel  out  my  thoughts  upon  that  which  will  destroy 
my  soul  ?  No,  no  ;  I  shall  henceforth  endeavour  always  to 
be  employing  my  thoughts  upon  something  that  is  good,  and 
therefore  to  have  good  subjects  constantly  at  hand  to  think 
upon  ;  (as  the  attributes  of  God,  the  glory  of  heaven,  the 
misery  of  hell,  the  merits  of  Christ,  the  corruption  of  my  na- 
ture, the  sinfulness  of  sin,  the  beauty  of  holiness,  the  vanity  of 
the  world,  the  immortality  of  the  soul,  and  the  like,  and  like- 
wise to  take  occasion,  from  the  objects  I  meet  or  converse 
with  in  the  world,  to  make  such  remarks  and  reflections,  as  may 
be  for  my  advantage  and  improvement  in  my  spiritual  affairs. 
For  there  is  nothing  in  the  world,  though  it  be  never  so  bad, 
but  what  I  may  exercise  good  thoughts  upon :  and  my  ne- 
glect, in  this  kind,  has  been  the  real  occasion  of  all  those  vain 
thoughts  that  have  hitherto  possessed  my  soul.  I  have  not 
kept  them  close  to  their  work,  to  think  upon  what  is  good,  and 
therefore  they  have  run  out  into  those  extravagances,  which, 
by  the  blessing  of  God,  in  the  performance  of  these  resolutions, 
I  shall  endeavour  to  avoid. 

It  is  indeed,  a  singular  advantage  of  that  high  and  heavenly 
calling,  in  which  the  Most  High,  of  his  wisdom  and  goodness 
has  been  pleased  to  place  mc,  that  all  the  objects  we  converse 
with,  and  all  the  subjects  we  exercise  our  thoughts  upon,  are 
either  God  and  heaven,  or  something  relating  to  them.  So 
that  we  need  not  go  out  of  our  common  road  to  meet  with  this 
heavenly  company,  good  thoughts.  But  then,  I  do  not  ac- 
count every  thought  of  God  or  heaven,  which  only  swims  in 
my  brain,  to  be  a  good  and  holy  thought,  unless  it  sinks  down 
into  my  heart  and  affections,  i.  e.  unless  to  my  meditations  of 
God  and  another  world,  I  join  a  longing  for  him,  a  rejoicing 
in  him,  and  a  solacing  myself  in  the  hopes  of  a  future  enjoy- 
ment of  him.  Neither  will  this  be  any  hindrance,  but  a  fur- 
therance to  my  studies  ;  for,  as  I  know  no  divine  truths  as 
I  ought,  unless  I  know  them  practically  and  experimentally  ; 


Resolutions.  107 

so  I  never  think  I  have  any  clear  apprehensions  of  God,  till  I 
find  my  affections  are  inflamed  towards  him  ;  or  that  I  ever 
understand  any  divine  truth  aright,  till  my  heart  be  brought 
into  subjection  to  it. 

This  resolution,  therefore,  extends  itself  not  only  to  the  sub- 
ject matter  of  my  thoughts,  but  also  to  the  quality  of  them, 
with  regard  to  practice,  that  they  may  influence  my  life  and 
conversation,  that  whether  I  speak,  or  write,  or  eat,  or  drink, 
or  whatsoever  I  do,  I  may  still  season  all,  even  my  commonest 
actions,  with  heavenly  meditations  ;  there  being  nothing  I  can 
set  my  hand  to,  but  I  may  likewise  set  my  heart  a  working 
upon  it.  Which  accordingly  I  shall  endeavour,  by  the  blessing 
of  God,  to  do.     And,  for  the  better  ordering  of  my  thoughts, 


RESOLUTION   V. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  so  to  marshal  my  thoughts, 
that  they  may  not  one  justle  out  another,  nor  any  of  tliem 
-prejudice  the  business  I  am  about. 

My  soul  being  by  nature  swift  and  nimble,  and  by  corruption 
inordinate  and  irregular  in  its  operations,  I  can  never  set  my- 
self to  think  upon  one  thing,  but  presently  another  presses  in, 
and  another  after  that,  and  so  on,  till  by  thinking  of  so  many 
things  at  once,  I  can  think  upon  nothing  to  any  purpose.  And 
hence  it  is,  that  I  throw  away  thousands  of  thoughts  each  day 
for  nothing,  which,  if  well  managed,  might  prove  very  profit- 
able and  advantageous  to  me.  To  prevent,  therefore,  this 
tumultuous,  desultory,  and  useless  working  of  my  thoughts,  as 
I  have  already  resolved  to  fix  and  settle  my  heart  upon  neces- 
sary, and  useful,  and  good  objects,  so,  to  prevent  my  thoughts 
rolling  from  one  thing  to  another,  or  leaping  from  the  top  of 
one  to  the  height  of  another  object,  I  must  now  endeavour  to 
rank  and  digest  them  into  order  and  method,  that  they  may  for 
the  future  be  more  steady  and  regular  in  their  pursuits.  I 
know,  the  devil  and  my  own  corrupt  nature  will  labour  to  break 
the  ranks  and  confound  the  order  of  them  ;  what  stratagem 
therefore  shall  I  use,  to  prevent  this  confusion  ?  1  shall  endea- 
vour, by  the  grace  of  God,  whensoever  I  find  any  idle  thoughts 
begin  to  frisk  and  rove  out  of  the  way,  to  call  them  in  again, 
and  set  them  at  work  upon  one  or  other  of  these  objects  be- 
fore mentioned,  and  to  keep  them,  for  some  time,  fixed  and 
intent  upon  it ;  and  considering  the  relations  and  dependences 


108  Resolutions. 

of  one  thing  upon  another,  not  to  suffer  any  foreign  ideas, 
such,  I  mean,  as  are  impertinent  to  the  chain  of  thoughts  I 
am  upon,  to  justle  them  out,  or  divert  my  mind  another  way. 
No,  not  though  they  be  otherwise  good  thoughts  ;  for  thoughts 
in  themselves  good,  when  they  crowd  in  unseasonably,  are 
sometimes  attended  with  very  ill  effects,  by  interrupting  and 
preventing  some  good  purposes  and  resolutions,  which  might 
prove  more  effectual  for  promoting  God's  glory,  the  good  of 
others,  and  the  comfort  of  our  own  souls. 

These,  and  such  like,  are  the  methods  by  which  I  design 
and  resolve  to  regulate  my  thoughts  :  and  since  I  can  do  no- 
thing without  the  divine  assistance,  I  earnestly  beg  of  God  to 
give  me  such  a  measure  of  his  grace,  as  may  enable  me  effec- 
tually to  put  these  resolutions  in  practice,  that  I  may  not  think 
and  resolve  in  vain. 


CONCERNING  MY  AFFECTIONS. 

But  whilst  I  am  thus  ranging  my  thoughts,  I  find  something 
of  a  passion  or  inclination  within  me,  either  drawing  me  to,  or 
driving  me  from,  every  thing  I  think  on  ;  so  that  I  cannot  so 
much  as  think  upon  a  thought,  but  it  is  either  pleasing  or  dis- 
pleasing to  me,  according  to  the  agreeableness  or  disagree- 
ableness  of  the  object  it  is  placed  upon,  to  my  natural  affec- 
tions. If  it  comes  under  the  pleasing  dress  and  appearance 
of  good,  I  readily  choose  and  embrace  it ;  if  otherwise,  I  am 
as  eagerly  bent  to  refuse  and  reject  it.  And  these  two  acts 
of  the  will  are  naturally  founded  in  those  two  reigning  passions 
of  the  soul,  love  and  hatred,  which  I  cannot  but  look  upon  as 
the  grounds  of  all  its  other  motions  and  affections.  For  what 
are  those  other  passions  of  desire,  hope,  joy,  and  the  like,  but 
love  in  its  several  postures  ?  And  what  else  can  we  conceive 
of  fear,  grief,  abhorrence,  &c.  but  so  many  different  expres- 
sions of  hatred,  according  to  the  several  circumstances  that 
the  displeasing  object  appears  to  be  under.  Doth  my  under- 
standing represent  any  thing  to  my  will,  under  the  notion  of 
good  and  pleasant  ?  my  will  is  presently  taken  and  delighted 
with  it,  and  so  places  its  love  upon  it ;  and  this  love,  if  the  ob- 
ject be  present,  inclines  me  to  embrace  it  with  joy  ;  if  absent, 
it  puts  forth  itself  into  desire  ;  if  easy  to  be  attained,  it  com- 
forts itself  with  hope  ;  if  difficult,  it  arms  itself  with  courage  ; 
if  impossible,  it  boils  up  into  anger  ;  if  obstructed,  it  presently 
falls  down  into  despair. 


Resolutions.  109 

On  the  other  hand,  doth  my  understanding  represent  any 
object  to  my  will,  as  evil,  or  painful,  or  deformed  1  How  doth 
it  immediately  shrink  and  gather  up  itself  into  a  loathing  and 
hatred  of  it !  And  this  hatred,  if  the  ungrateful  object  be  pre- 
sent, puts  on  the  mournful  sables  of  grief  and  sorrow  ;  if  it  be 
at  any  distance  from  it,  it  boils  up  into  detestation  and  abhor- 
rence ;  if  ready  to  fall  upon  it,  it  shakes  for  fear  ;  if  difficult 
to  be  prevented,  it  strengthens  itself  with  courage  and  magna- 
nimity, either  to  conquer  or  undergo  it.  These  aifections, 
therefore,  being  thus  the  constant  attendants  of  my  thoughts, 
it  behoves  me  as  much  to  look  to  those,  as  to  the  other  ;  espe- 
cially when  I  consider,  that  not  only  my  thoughts,  but  even  my 
actions  too,  are  generally  determined  to  good  or  bad,  accord- 
ly  as  they  are  influenced  by  them.  That  my  affections,  there- 
fore, as  well  as  my  thoughts,  may  be  duly  regulated, 


RESOLUTION  I. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  make  my  affec- 
tions subservient  to  the  dictates  of  my  understanding,  that 
my  reason  may  not  follow,  but  guide  my  affections. 

The  affections  being  of  themselves  blind  and  inordinate, 
unless  they  are  directed  by  reason  and  judgment,  they  either 
move  toward  a  wrong  object,  or  pursue  the  right  in  a  wrong 
way.  And  this  judgment  must  be  mature  and  deliberate,  such 
as  arises  from  a  clear  apprehension  of  the  nature  of  the  object 
that  affects  me,  and  a  thorough  consideration  of  the  several 
circumstances  that  attend  it.  And  great  care  must  be  taken, 
that  I  do  not  impose  upon  myself  by  fancy  and  imagination, 
that  I  do  not  mistake  fancy  for  judgment,  or  the  capricious 
humours  of  my  roving  imagination,  for  the  solid  dictates  of  a 
well-guided  reason  :  for  my  fancy  is  as  wild  as  my  affections  ; 
and  if  the  blind  lead  the  blind,  they  will  both  fall  into  the  ditch. 

And  alas  !  how  often  am  I  deceived  in  this  manner  !  If  I  do 
but  fancy  a  thing  good  and  lovely,  how  eager  are  my  affections 
in  the  pursuit  of  it  ?  If  I  do  but  fancy  any  thing  evil  and  hurt- 
ful to  me,  how  doth  my  heart  presently  rise  up  against  it,  or 
grieve  and  sorrow  for  it  ?  And  this,  I  believe,  hath  been  the 
occasion  of  all  the  enormities  and  extravagancies  I  have  been 
guilty  of,  through  the  whole  course  of  my  past  life,  divesting 
me  of  my  reasonable  faculties,  as  to  the  acts  and  exercises  of 
them,  and  subjecting  my  soul  to  the  powers  of  sense,  that  I 

K 


110  Resolutions. 

coukl  not  raise  my  affections  above  them.  Thus,  for  instance,  I 
have  not  loved  grace,  because  my  fancy  could  not  see  its  beau- 
ty ;  I  have  not  loathed  sin,  because  my  fancy  could  not  com- 
prehend  its  misery  ;  and  I  have  not  truly  desired  heaven,  be- 
cause my  fancy  could  not  reach  it  glory  :  whereas  if  the  tran- 
sient beauty  and  lustre  of  this  world's  vanities  was  but  pre- 
sented to  my  view,  how  has  my  fancy  mounted  up  to  the  high- 
est pitch  of  pleasure  and  ambition,  and  inflamed  my  heart 
with  the  desire  of  them  ? 

And  thus,  poor  wretch !  have  I  been  carried  about  with 
the  powerful  charms  of  sense,  without  having  any  other  guide 
of  my  affections,  but  what  is  common  to  the  very  brutes  that 
perish  ;  fancy  supplying  that  place  in  the  sensitive,  which  rea- 
son does  in  the  rational  soul.  And  alas !  what  is  this,  but, 
with  Nebuchadnezzar,  to  leave  communion  with  men,  and 
herd  myself  with  the  flocks  of  the  beasts  of  the  field  !  And 
what  a  shame  and  reproach  is  this  to  the  image  of  God,  in 
which  I  was  created  ! 

Oh  !  thou,  that  art  the  Author  of  my  nature,  help  me,  I 
beseech  thee,  to  act  more  conformably  to  it  for  the  time  to" 
come  ;  that  I  may  no  longer  be  bewildered  or  misled  by  the 
blind  conduct  of  straggling  fancy,  this  ignis  fatrnis,  that  hur- 
ries me  over  bogs  and  precipices  to  the  pit  of  destruction,  but 
that  I  may  bring  all  my  affections,  and  actions  to  the  stan- 
dard of  a  clear  and  sound  judgment;  and  let  that  judgment 
be  guided  by  the  unerring  light  of  thy  divine  word  ;  that  so  I 
may  neither  love,  desire,  fear,  nor  detest  any  thing,  but  what 
my  judgment,  thus  formed,  tells  me  I  ought  to  do  ! 

I  know,  it  will  be  very  hard  thus  to  subject  my  affections  to 
the  dictates  and  commands  of  my  judgment ;  but  however,  it 
is  my  resolution,  this  morning,  in  the  presence  of  Almighty 
God,  to  endeavour  it,  and  never,  to  sutler  my  heart  to  settle 
its  affections  upon  any  object,  till  my  judgment  hath  passed 
its  sentence  upon  it.  And  as  I  will  not  suffer  my  affections  to 
run  before  my  judgment,  so,  whenever  that  is  determined,  I 
stedfastly  resolve  to  follow  it ;  that  so  my  apprehensions  and 
affections  always  going  together,  I  may  be  sure  to  walk  in  the 
direct  path  of  God's  commandments,  and  enter  the  gate  that 
leads  to  everlasting  life.  And  the  better  to  facilitate  the  per- 
formance of  this  general  resolution,  it  being  necessary  to  de- 
scend to  particulars  ; 


Resolutions.  1 1 1 


RESOLUTION  II. 


/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  love  God,  as  the  best 
of  goods,  and  to  hate  sin,  as  the  worst  of  evils. 

As  God  is  the  centre  of  our  concupiscible  affections,  so  sin 
is  the  object  of  those  we  call  irasicible  :  and  the  affections  of 
love  and  hatred  being  the  ground  of  all  the  rest,  I  must  have  a 
great  care,  that  I  do  not  mistake  or  miscarry  in  them  :  for  if 
these  be  placed  upon  wrong  objects,  it  is  impossible  any  of  the 
rest  should  be  placed  upon  right  ones.  In  order,  therefore,  to 
prevent  such  a  miscarriage,  as  God  is  the  greatest  good,  and 
sin  the  greatest  evil,  I  resolve  to  love  God  above  all  things 
else  in  the  world,  and  to  hate  sin  to  the  same  degree  ;  and  so 
to  love  other  things,  only  in  relation  to  God  ;  and  to  hate  no- 
thing, but  in  reference  to  sin. 

As  for  the  first,  the  loving  God  above  all  things,  there  is 
nothing  seems  more  reasonable  ;  inasmuch  as  there  is  nothing 
lovely  in  any  creature,  but  what  it  receives  from  God  ;  and  by- 
how  much  the  more  it  is  like  to  God,  by  so  much  the  more  it 
is  lovely  unto  us.  Hence  it  is,  that  beauty,  or  an  exact  sym- 
metry and  proportion  of  parts  and  colours,  so  attracts  our  love, 
because  it  so  much  resembles  God,  who  is  beauty  and  perfec- 
tion itself.  And  hence  it  is,  likewise,  that  grace  is  the  most 
lovely  thing  in  the  world,  next  to  God,  as  being  the  image  of 
God  himself  stamped  upon  the  soul ;  nay,  it  is  not  only  the 
image  and  representation,  but  it  is  the  influence  and  commu- 
nication of  himself  to  us  ;  so  that  the  more  we  have  of  grace, 
we  may  safely  say,  so  much  the  more  we  have  of  God,  within 
us.  Why,  therefore,  should  I  grudge  my  love  to  him,  who 
only  deserves  it ;  who  is  not  only  infinitely  lovely  in  himself, 
but  the  author  and  perfection  of  all  loveliness  in  his  creatures  ? 
Why,  the  true  reason  is,  that  my  affections  have  run  a  gadding 
without  my  judgment,  or  else  my  judgment  hath  been  balked 
or  anticipated  by  my  fincy  :  whereas,  now  that  my  apprehen- 
sions of  God  are  a  little  cleared  up,  and  my  judgment  leads 
the  way,  though  nobody  sees  me,  yet,  methinks,  I  cannot  but 
blush  at  myself,  that  I  should  ever  lie  doting  upon  these  dreams 
and  shadows  here  below,  and  not  fix  my  affections  upon  the 
infinite  beauty  and  all-sufficiency  of  God  above,  who  deserves 
my  love  and  admiration  so  infinitely  beyond  them.  Howsoever, 
therefore,  I  have  heretofore  placed  my  affections  upon  other 
things  above  God,  I  am  now  resolved  to  love  God,  not  only 
above  many  or  most  things,  but  above  all  things  else  in  the 
world. 


112  Resolutions. 

And  here,  by  loving  God,  I  do  not  understand  that  sensitive 
affection  I  place  upon  material  objects  ;  for  it  is  impossible  that 
that  should  be  fixed  upon  God,  who  is  a  pure  spiritual  Being ; 
but  that,  as  by  the  deliberate  choice  of  my  will,  I  take  him  for 
my  chiefest  good,  so  I  ought  to  prefer  him  as  such,  before  my 
nearest  and  dearest  possessions,  interest,  or  relations,  and 
whatsoever  else  may  at  any  time  stand  in  competition  with  him. 

And  thus,  as  I  shall  endeavour  to  love  God,  so  likewise  to 
hate  sin,  above  all  things  :  and  this  is  as  necessary  as  the  for- 
mer ;  for  all  things  else  have  something  of  good  in  them,  as 
they  are  made  by  God  :  but  sin  being,  in  its  own  nature,  a 
privation  of  good,  and  directly  opposite  to  the  nature  and  will 
of  God,  (as  I  have  before  showed,)  it  has  nothing  of  beauty 
or  amiableness  to  recommend  it  to  my  affections.  On  the  con- 
trary, it  is  a  compound  of  deformity  and  defilement,  that  is 
always  attended  with  punishment  and  misery,  and  must,  there- 
fore, be  the  object  of  my  hatred  and  abhorrence,  wheresoever 
I  find  it.  For,  as  God  is  the  centre  of  all  that  is  good,  so  is 
sin  the  fountain  of  all  the  evil  in  the  world.  All  the  strife  and 
contention,  ignominy  and  disgrace,  misfortunes  and  afflictions, 
that  I  observe  in  the  world ;  all  the  diseases  of  my  body,  and 
infirmities  of  my  mind ;  all  the  errors  of  my  understanding, 
and  irregularities  of  my  will  and  affections  ;  in  a  word,  all 
the  evils  whatsoever  that  I  am  affected  with,  or  subject  to,  in 
this  world,  are  still  the  fruits  and  effects  of  sin  :  for,  if  man  had 
never  offended  the  chiefest  good,  he  had  never  been  subject  to 
this  train  of  evils  which  attended  his  transgression.  When- 
soever, therefore,  I  find  myself  begin  to  detest  and  abhor  any 
evil,  I  shall,  for  the  future,  endeavour  to  turn  my  eyes  to  the 
spring-head,  and  loath  and  detest  the  fountain  that  sends  forth 
all  those  bitter  and  unwholesome  streams,  as  well  as  the  chan- 
nels of  those  corrupt  hearts  in  which  they  How.  And,  for  this 
reason,  I  resolve  to  hate  sin  wherever  I  find  it,  whether  in 
myself  or  in  others,  in  the  best  of  friends,  as  well  as  the  worst 
of  enemies.  Love,  I  know,  and  charity,  covers  a  multitude 
of  sins ;  and  where  we  love  the  man,  we  are  all  of  us  but  too 
apt  to  overlook,  or  excuse,  his  faults.  For  the  prevention  of 
this,  therefore,  I  firmly  resolve,  in  all  my  expressions  of  love 
to  my  fellow-creatures,  so  to  love  the  person,  as  yet  to  hate 
his  sins  ;  and  so  to  hate  his  sins,  as  yet  to  love  his  person. 
The  last  of  which,  I  hope,  I  shall  not  find  hard  to  practise, 
my  nature,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  being  not  easily  inclined 
to  hate  any  man's  person  whatsoever ;  and  the  former  will 
not  be  much  more  difficult,  when  I  consider,  that  by  how  much 
more  I  love  my  friend,  by  so  much  more  should  I  hate  what- 
soever will  be  offensive  or  destructive  to  him. 


Resolutions,  113 

Having  thus  fixed  my  resolutions,  with  regard  to  those  two 
commanding  passions  of  my  soul,  love  and  hatred. 


RESOLUTION  III. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  assistance  of  divine  grace,  to  make  God 
the  principal  object  of  my  joy,  and  sin  the  principal  object 
of  mi/  grief  and  sorrow;  so  as  to  grieve  for  sin  more  than 
suffering,  and  for  suffering  only  for  sin's  sake. 

The  affections  of  joy  and  grief  are  the  immediate  issues  of 
love  and  hatred,  and,  therefore,  not  at  ail  to  be  separated  in 
their  object.  Having,  therefore,  resolved  to  love,  I  cannot 
but  resolve  likewise  to  rejoice  in  God  above  all  things  ;  for  the 
same  measure  of  love  I  have  towards  any  thing,  the  same 
measure  of  complacency  and  delight  I  must  necessarily  have 
in  the  enjoyment  of  it.  As,  therefore,  I  love  God  above  all 
things,  and  other  things  only  in  subserviency  to  him,  so  must  I 
rejoice  in  God  above  all  things,  and  in  other  things  only  as 
coining  from  him.  I  know,  I  not  only  may,  but  must  rejoice 
in  the  mercies  and  blessings  that  God  confers  upon  ine ;  but  it 
is  still  my  duty  to  rejoice  more  in  what  God  is  in  himself,  than 
in  what  he  is  pleased  to  communicate  to  me :  so  that  I  am  not 
only  bound  to  rejoice  in  God,  when  I  have  nothing  else,  but 
when  I  have  all  things  else  to  rejoice  in.  Let,  therefore,  my 
riches,  honours,  or  my  friends,  fail  me  ;  let  my  pleasures, 
my  health,  and  hope,  and  all,  fail  me  ;  I  am  still  resolved, 
by  his  grace,  to  rejoice  in  the  Lord,  and  to  joy  in  the  God  of 
rny  salvation.  On  the  other  hand,  let  honour  or  riches  be 
multiplied  upon  me  ;  let  joy  and  pleasure,  and  all  that  a  car- 
nal heart  (like  mine)  can  wish  for  or  desire,  be  thrown  upon 
me  ;  yet  I  am  still  resolved,  that  as  it  is  my  business  to  serve 
God,  so  shall  it  be  my  delight  and  comfort  to  rejoice  in  him. 

And  as  God  shall  thus  be  my  chiefestjoy,  so  shall  sin  be 
my  greatest  grief;  for  I  account  no  condition  miserable,  but 
that  which  results  from,  or  leads  ine  unto,  sin  :  so  that  when 
any  thing  befalls  me,  which  may  bear  the  face  of  suffering, 
and  fill  my  heart  with  sorrow,  I  shall  still  endeavour  to  keep 
off  the  smart,  till  I  know  from  whence  it  comes.  If  sin  has 
kindled  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  against  me,  and  brought  these 
judgments  upon  me,  oh !  what  a  heavy  load  shall  I  then  feel 
upon  my  soul?  And  how  shall  I  groan  and  complain  under  the 
burden  of  it?     But  if  there  be  nothing  of  the  poison  of  sin 

K2 


1 H  Resolutions. 

dropped  into  this  cup  of  sorrows,  though  it  may  perhaps  prove 
bitter  to  my  senses,  yet  it  will,  in  the  end,  prove  healthful  to 
my  soul ;  as  being  not  kindled  at  the  furnace  of  God's  wrath, 
but  at  the  flames  of  his  love  and  affection  for  me.  So  that  I  am 
so  far  from  having  cause  to  be  sorry  for  the  sufferings  he  brings 
wpon  me,  that  I  have  much  greater  cause  to  rejoice  in  them, 
as  being  an  argument  of  the  love  and  affection  he  bears  to  me ; 
for\  whom  the  Lord  lovcth  he  chasteneth,  and  scourgeth  every 
son  whom  he  receiveth,  Heb.  xii.  9. 

And  having  thus  resolved  to  rejoice  in  nothing  but  God,  and 
grieve  for  nothing  but  sin,  I  must  not  be  cast  down  and  de- 
jected at  every  providence  which  the  men  here  below  count  a 
loss  or  affliction  ;  for,  certainly,  all  the  misery  I  find  in  any 
thing  extrinsical,  is  created  by  myself;  nothing  but  what  is  in 
me  being  properly  an  affliction  to  me ;  so  that  it  is  my  fancy 
that  is  the  ground  of  misery  in  all  things  without  myself.  If  I 
did  not  fancy  some  evil  or  misery  in  the  loss  of  such  an  enjoy- 
ment, it  would  be  no  misery  at  all  to  me ;  because  I  am  still 
the  same  as  I  was,  and  have  as  much  as  I  had  before.  For  it 
is  God  that  is  the  portion  of  my  soul ;  and  therefore,  should  I 
lose  every  thing  I  have  in  the  world  besides,  yet  having  God, 
I  cannot  be  said  to  lose  any  thing,  because  I  have  him  that 
hath,  and  is,  all  things  in  himself.  Whensoever,  therefore, 
any  thing  befalls  me,  that  uses  to  be  matter  of  sorrow  and  de- 
jection to  me,  I  must  not  presently  be  affected  with,  nor  de- 
jected at  it,  but  still  behave  myself  like  an  heir  of  heaven, 
and,  living  above  the  smiles  and  frowns  of  this  world,  account 
nothing  matter  of  joy,  but  so  far  as  I  enjoy  of  God's  love  ;  nor 
any  thing  matter  of  sorrow,  but  so  much  as  I  see  of  his  anger 
in  it. 


RESOLUTION  IV. 

I  am  resolved  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  desire  spiritval  mercies 
more  than  temporal;  and  temporal  mercies  only  in  reference 
to  spiritual. 

Having  rectified  the  balance  of  my  judgment  according  to 
Scripture  ;  when  I  would  begin  to  weigh  temporal  things  with 
spiritual,  I  find  there  is  no  proportion,  and  so  no  comparison 
to  be  made  betwixt  them.  And  will  any  wise  man,  then,  that 
pretends  to  reason,  be  at  a  stand  which  of  these  to  choose, 
which  to  esteem  the  best,  or  desire  most  ?  Alas !  what  is  there 


Resolutions.  115 

in  the  world  that  can  fill  the  vast  desires  of  my  soul,  but  only 
he,  who  is  infinitely  above  me  and  my  desires  too  ?  Will  riches 
do  it  ?  No ;  I  may  as  soon  undertake  to  fill  my  barns  with 
grace,  as  my  heart  with  gold  ;  and  as  easily  stuff  my  bags 
with  virtue,  as  ever  satisfy  my  desires  with  wealth.  Do  I  hunt 
after  pleasures  ?  These  may,  indeed,  charm  and  delight  my 
brutisli  senses,  but  can  never  be  agreeable  or  proportionate 
to  my  spiritual  faculties.  Do  I  grasp  at  honour  and  populari- 
ty ?  These  again  are  as  empty  and  unsatisfying  as  the  former  ; 
they  may  make  me  look  high  and  great  in  the  eye  of  the  world, 
turn  my  head  giddy  with  applause,  or  puff  up  my  heart  with 
pride,  but  they  can  never  fill  up  the  measure  of  its  desires. 
And  thus,  if  I  should  have  the  whole  world  at  my  command, 
and  could, -with  Alexander,  wield  both  sword  and  sceptre  over 
all  the  nations  and  languages  of  it,  would  this  content  me  ?  or 
rather,  should  I  not  sit  down  and  weep  with  him,  that  I  had 
not  another  world  to  conquer  and  possess  ?  Whereas,  God 
being  an  infinite  good,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  desire  any 
thing,  which  I  may  not  enjoy  in  him  and  his  mercies  :  let  me, 
or  any  other  creature,  extend  our  desires  never  so  far,  still  the 
graces  and  blessings  of  this  infinite  God  will  be  infinitely  be- 
yond them  all :  insomuch  that  though  ten  thousand  worlds  are 
not  able  to  satisfy  one  soul,  yet  one  God  is  able  to  satisfy  ten 
thousand  souls  ;  yea,  and  ten  millions  more  to  them,  as  well 
as  if  there  was  only  one  soul  in  all  the  world  to  satisfy. 

Come,  therefore,  my  dear  Lord  and  Saviour !  whilst  thy  ser- 
vant is  breathing  after  thee,  and  possess  my  heart  with  the 
spiritual  blessings  of  grace  and  faith,  peace  and  charitv  ;  and 
let  none  of  these  empty  and  transient  delights  of  this  world 
stand  in  competition  with  them!  Thou  art  the  source  and 
centre  of  all  my  wishes  and  desires ;  even  as  the  hart  panteth 
after  the  water-brooks,  so  panteth  my  sovl  after  thee,  O  God  ! 
Oh  !  when  shall  I  appear  in  thy  presence  ?  When,  when  shall 
that  blessed  time  come,  that  I  shall  see  thy  sacred  Majesty  face 
to  face  ?  This  is  a  mercy,  I  confess,  which  I  cannot  expect, 
whilst  imprisoned  in  the  body  :  but,  howsoever,  though  I  must 
not  yet  appear  before  thee,  do  thou  vouchsafe  to  appear  in  me, 
and  give  me  such  glimpses  of  thy  love  and  graces  here,  as 
may  be  an  earnest  of  the  bliss  and  glory  I  am  to  enjoy  here- 
after! 


116  Resolutions. 

RESOLUTION  V. 

lam  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  hope  for  nothing  so  muck 
as  the  promises,  and  to  fear  nothing  so  much  as  the  threaten- 
ings,  of  God. 

My  soul  being  inflamed  with  holy  desires  after  God,  my 
heart  cannot  but  be  big  with  the  hopes  and  expectations  of 
him  :  and,  truly,  as  there  is  nothing  that  I  can  absolutely  de- 
sire, so  neither  is  there  any  thing  that  I  can  assuredly  hope 
for  and  depend  upon,  but  God  himself,  and  the  promises  he 
has  made  to  me  in  his  divine  word.  For,  as  all  things  derive 
their  being  and  subsistence  from  him,  so  they  are  all  at  his 
beck  and  command,  and  are  acted  and  influenced  as  his  wis- 
dom and  pleasure  sees  fit  to  order  them.  All  the  secondary 
causes  are  in  his  hand,  and  he  turns  them  which  way  soever 
he  will  ;  so  that,  however  improbable  and  disproportionate  the 
means  he  uses  may  appear  to  be,  he  never  fails  to  accomplish 
the  end,  or  whatever  he  wills  and  decrees  to  be  done.  And, 
therefore,  wherever  I  meet  with  any  promises  made  over  to 
the  faithful  in  his  sacred  word,  (since  they  are  the  promises  of 
one  who  is  infinitely  just  and  true,  who  can  neither  dissemble, 
nor  deceive,)  I  cannot  in  the  least  doubt,  but  they  will  be 
punctually  fulfilled  ;  and  if  I  am  of  that  happy  number,  (as  I 
trust,  through  the  merits  of  Christ,  and  my  own  sincere  en- 
deavours, I  shall  approve  myself  to  be,)  T  have  as  much  as- 
surance of  being  partaker  of  them,  as  if  I  had  them  actually 
in  possession,  or  as  any  of  the  faithful  servants  of  God,  who 
have  already  experienced  the  accomplishment  of  them. 

But,  suppose  God  should  not  favour  me  with  the  bright  part 
of  his  promises,  but,  instead  of  the  blessings  of  health  and 
prosperity,  should  visit  me  with  crosses  and  afflictions  ;  yet,  I 
have  still  the  same  grounds  for  my  hope  and  confidence  in  him, 
and  may  say  with  the  Psalmist,  The  Lord  is  my  helper,  I  will 
not  fear  what  the  devil  or  man  can  do  unto  me.  For,  though 
their  spite  and  malice  may  sometimes  cross,  afflict,  and  perse- 
cute me  ;  yet,  since  I  am  assured,  they  are  only  as  instruments 
in  the  hand  of  God,  that  cannot  go  beyond  their  commission, 
nor  make  me  suffer  more  than  I  am  able  to  bear,  I  may  com- 
fort myself,  under  all  these  afflictions,  by  the  same  divine  pro- 
mise that  St.  Paul  had  recourse  to,  on  the  like  occasion  ;  to 
wit,  that  all  shall  work  together  for  good  to  them  that  love  God, 
who  arc  the  called,  according  to  his  purpose,  Rom.  viii.  28. 
The  devil  could  not  touch  the  possessions  of  Job,  till  he  had 


Resolutions.  1 1 7 

received  a  commission  from  God  ;  nor  could  he  come  near  his 
body,  till  that  commission  was  renewed  ;  and  so,  neither  can 
he,  or  any  creature  whatsoever,  throw  any  evil  upon  me,  with- 
out the  divine  permission  ;  and  even  that,  though  it  seems  to 
be  evil,  shall  really,  in  the  end,  turn  to  my  benefit  and  advan- 
tage. Oh  '  what  a  sovereign  antidote  is  this  against  all  des- 
pondency and  despair,  even  under  the  deepest  and  severest 
trials  1  Permit  me,  O  my  God !  to  apply  this  sacred  promise 
to  myself,  and  say,  I  am  assured  of  it,  by  my  own  experience! 
For  I  can  hardly  remember  any  one  thing  that  ever  happened 
to  me,  in  the  whole  course  of  my  life,  even  to  the  crossing  of 
my  most  earnest  desires,  and  highest  expectations,  but  what 
I  must  confess,  to  the  praise  of  thy  grace  and  goodness,  has 
really,  in  the  end,  turned  to  my  advantage  another  way.  Oh  ! 
make  me  truly  sensible  of  all  thy  promises  to,  and  dealings 
with  me,  that  whatever  storms  and  surges  may  arise  in  the 
\  tempestuous  ocean  of  this  transient  world,  I  may  still  fix  the 
anchor  of  my  hope  and  happiness  in  thee,  who  art  the  source 
and  spring  of  all  blessings,  and  without  whom  no  evil  or  ca- 
lamity could  ever  befal  me  ! 

I  And  as  the  promises  of  God,  upon  all  those  accounts,  are  to 
be  the  object  of  my  hope ;  so  are  his  threatenings  to  be  of 
my  fear  and  aversation  :  as  the  former  are  of  excellent  use  to 
raise  and  revive  the  most  drooping  hearts,  so  the  latter  are  of 
weight  enough  to  sink  and  depress  the  stoutest  and  most  un- 
daunted spirits,  and  make  them  lick  up  the  dust  of  horror  and 
despair.  Not  to  mention  any  thing  of  the  exquisite  and  eter« 
nal  miseries  denounced  against  the  wicked  in  the  next  world, 
with  which  the  Scriptures  every  where  abound,  there  is  one 
punishment  threatened  to  be  inflicted  here,  which  is,  of  itself, 
sufficient  to  do  this;  and  that  is,  in  Mai.  ii.  2.  If  ye  will  not  hear* 
and  if  yc  will  not  lay  it  to  heart,  to  give  glory  to  my  name,  saith 
the  Lord  of  hosts,  I  will  even  send  a  curse  upon  you,  und  I  will 
\curse  your  blessings.  Most  dreadful  sentence  !  which  none, 
|that  consider  aright,  can  be  able  to  read,  without  trembling 
and  astonishment.  Alas !  if  God  should  curse  me,  where 
should  I  seek  for  blessing,  since  he  is  the  only  fountain  from 
which  it  flows,  and  by  which  it  is  conveyed  and  communicated 
to  me  ?  And  if  he  should  curse  my  very  blessings,  what  could 
I  hope  for,  but  misery  and  despair  ?  My  health,  my  wealth,  my 
preferments,  my  relations,  nay,  my  very  life  itself,  would  all 
be  accursed  to  me  ;  and  what  is  yet  worse,  even  my  spiritual 
exercises  and  performances,  upon  which  I  chiefly  build  my 
hopes  of  happiness,  my  preaching,  praying,  and  communicat- 
ing, would  all  become  a  snare  and  a  curse  to  me :  yea,  and 


1 1 8  Resolutions. 

Christ  himself,  who  came  into  the  world  to  bless  and  redeem 
me,  if  I  walk  not  in  his  fear,  believe  not  his  Gospel,  or  give  not 
glory  to  his  name,  will  himself  be  a  curse  and  condemnation 
to  me.  So  that  I  may  say  Of  every  thing  I  have,  or  enjoy,  or 
expect,  all  these  God  has  made  curses  to  in'',  because  I  have 
not  blessed  and  glorified  him  in  them.  Oh!  who  would  not 
tremble  and  be  wrought  upon  by  these  thrcatenings  ?  Who 
would  not  fear  thee,  O  King  of  nations,  who  art  thus  terrible 
in  thy  judgments  .'  Who  would  not  love  and  obey  thee,  who  art 
so  gracious  in  thy  promises?  Teach  me,  I  beseech  thee,  so  to 
place  ^ny  fear  upon  the  former,  that  I  may  still  fix  my  hope 
upon  the  latter,  that  though  I  fear  thy  dreadful  curses,  yet  I 
may  never  despair  of  thy  tender  mercies ! 


RESOLUTION  VI. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grate  of  God,  to  arm  myself  with  that 
spiritual  courage  and  magnanimity,  as  to  press  through  all 
duties  and  difficulties'  whatsoever,  for  the  advancement  of 
God's  glory,  and  my  own  happiness. 

Ciiiustiaisity  is  well  termed  a  warfare  ;  for  it  is,  wherein 
no  danger  can  be  prevented,  no  enemy  conquered,  no  vic- 
tory obtained,  without  much  courage  and  resolution.  I  have 
not  only  many  outward  enemies  to  grapple  with,  but  I  have 
myself,  my  worst  enemy,  to  encounter  and  subdue.  As  for 
those  enemies  which  are*not  near  me,  by  the  assistance  of 
God's  Spirit,  I  can  make  pretty  good  shift  to  keep  them  at  the 
sword's  point :  but  this  enemy  that  is  gotten  within  me,  has 
so  often  foiled  and  disarmed  me,  that  1  have  reason  to  say,  as 
David  did  of  his  enemies,  It  is  too  strong  for  me  :  and,  as  he 
said  of  the  chief  of  his,  /  shall  one  day  fall  by  the  hands  of 
Saul ;  so  have  I  too  much  occasion  to  say,  I  shall  fall  by  my- 
self, as  being  myself  the  greatest  enemy  to  my  own  spiritual 
interest  and  concerns.  How  necessary  is  it  then  that  1  should 
raise  and  muster  up  all  my  force  and  courage,  put  on  my 
spiritual  armour,  and  make  myself  strong  in  the  Lord,  and  in 
the  power  of  his  might  ?  I  know  I  must  strive,  before  I  can 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate:  I  must  win  the  crown,  before  I  can 
wear  it ;  and  be  a  member  of  the  church  militant,  before  I  be 
admitted  into  the  church  triumphant.  In  a  word,  I  must  go 
through  a  solitary  wilderness,  and  conquer  many  enemies,  be- 
fore I  come  to  the  land  of  Canaan  ;  or  else  I  must  never  be 


Resolutions.  119 

possessed  of  it.  What  then  ?  Shall  1  lose  my  glory,  to  balk 
my  duty  ?  Shall  1  let  go  my  glorious  and  eternal  possession, 
to  save  myself  from  a  seeming  hardship,  which  the  devil  would 
persuade  me  to  be  a  trouble  and  an  affliction  ?  Alas!  if  Christ 
had  laid  aside  the  great  work  of  my  redemption,  to  avoid  the 
undergoing  of  God's  anger  and  man's  malice,  what  a  misera- 
ble condition  had  I  been  in  ?  And,  therefore,  whatever  taunts 
and  reproaches  I  meet  with,  from  the  presumptuous  and  pro- 
fane, the  infidel  and  atheistical  reprobates  of  the  age  ;  let  them 
laugh  at  my  profession,  or  mock  at  what  they  are  pleased  to 
call  prccisencss  ;  let  them  defraud  me  of  my  just  rights,  or 
traduce  and  bereave  me  of  my  good  name  and  reputation  ; 
let  them  vent  the  utmost  of  their  poisonous  malice  nnd  envy 
against  me  ;  I  have  this  comfortable  reflection  still  to  support 
me,  that  if  I  suffer  all  this  for  Christ's  sake,  it  is  in  the  cause 
of  one  who  suffered  a  thousand  times  more  for  mine  ;  and, 
therefore,  it  ought  to  be  matter  of  joy  and  triumph,  rather  than 
of  grief  and  dejection  to  me  :  especially,  considering,  that 
these  my  light  afflictions,  which  arc  but  for  a  moment,  will  work 
put  for  me  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of  glory. 
Upon  the  prospect  of  which,  I  firmly  resolve,  notwithstanding 
the  growing  strength  of  sin,  and  the  over  bearing  prcvalency 
of  my  own  corrupt  affections,  to  undertake  all  duties  and  un- 
dergo all  miseries,  that  God,  in  his  infinite  wisdom,  thinks  fit 
to  lay  upon  me,  or  exercise  my  patience  in. 


RESOLUTION  VII. 

I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  so  *to  be  angry,  as  not  to 
sin,  and,  therefore,  to  be  angry  at  nothing  but  sin. 

The  former  part  of  the  resolution  is  founded  in  the  express 
command  of  St.  Paul,  be  ye  angry,  and  sin  not,  Eph.  iv.  26. 
and  the  latter  is  an  explication  of,  as  well  as  an  inference 
drawn  from  it.  For,  if  anger  be  not  only  lawful,  but  a  duty, 
as  is  here  supposed,  when  it  does  not  involve  us  in  sin  ;  the 
only  difficulty  is,  to  know  how  that  passion  ought  to  be  quali- 
fied, to  justify  the  exercise  of  it,  without  being  guilty  of  sin  : 
and  the  circumstances  or  qualifications  required  for  this  are, 
first,  that  it  be  placed  upon  a  due  object;  and,  secondly,  that 
it  do  not  exceed  its  proper  bounds. 

Now,  as  nothing  can  deserve  my  anger,  but  what  is  disa- 
greeable to  my  nature,  and  offensive  to  the  author  of  it,  so 


1 20  Resolutions. 

nothing  bat  sin  can  properly  be  called  its  object.  The  chief 
thing  that  I  am  to  aim  at  in  my  actions  is  the  honouring,  serv- 
ing, and  pleasing  God  ;  and  how  can  I  serve  and  please  God, 
in  being  angry  at  any  thing  but  what  I  know  is  displeasing  to 
him  ?  I  may  be  scorned,  reproached,  and  vilified  among  my 
equals,  or  accused,  condemned,  and  punished  by  my  superiors; 
and  these  are  treatments  that  are  but  too  apt  to  raise  and 
transport  men  into  anger  and  revenge  :  but  then,  before  I  suf- 
fer this  passion  to  boil  up  in  me,  I  ought  to  consider,  whether 
I  have  not  behaved  myself  so,  as  to  deserve  this  sort  of  treat- 
ment ;  if  I  have,  then  there  is  no  injury  or  injustice  done  me 
thereby,  and,  therefore,  I  ought  not  to  be  angry  at  it :  if  I  have 
not,  I  must  not  be  angry  at  the  persons  who  act  thus  falsely 
and  unjustly  against  me,  but  only  at  their  sin  ;  for,  to  speak 
properly,  it  is  not  the  person  that  offends  me,  but  the  sin. 
And  this,  not  because  it  is  injurious  to  me,  but  because  it  is 
offensive  and  displeasing  to  God  himself;  for,  to  be  angry  at 
any  thing  but  what  displeases  God,  is  to  displease  God  in  be- 
ing angry.  Whenever,  therefore,  I  receive  any  affronts  or 
provocations  of  this  nature,  I  am  resolved,  by  God's  grace  as- 
sisting my  endeavours,  never  to  be  moved,  or  troubled  at  them, 
farther  than  they  are  in  their  own  nature  sinful,  and  at  the 
same  time  abstracting  the  sin  from  the  persons,  to  pray  for  the 
pardon  of  those  that  are  guilty  of  it;  and  not  only  so,  but  ac- 
cording to  the  command  and  example  of  my  Saviour,  even  to 
love  them  too. 

But,  how  shall  I  be  sure  to  be  angry  at  nothing  but  sin, 
and  so  not  to  sin  in  my  anger,  when  every  petty  trifle  or  cross 
accident  is  so  apt  to  raise  this  passion  in  me  ?  Why,  the  best 
method  I  can  take  is  that  which  the  wise  man  directs  me  to, 
not  to  be  hasty  in  my  spirit,  Eccles.  vii.  but,  to  defer  my  an- 
ger acccording  to  discretion,  Prov.  xix.  11.  So  that,  when- 
soever any  thing  happens  that  may  incense  and  inflame  my 
passion,  I  must  immediately  stop  its  career,  and  suspend  the 
acts  of  it,  till  I  have  duly  considered  the  motives  and  occasions 
that  raised  it.  And,  as  this  will  be  a  very  good  means  to  re- 
gulate the  object  of  my  anger,  so  likewise  the  measure  of  it : 
for,  he  that  is  slow  to  wrath,  takes  time  to  consider,  and,  by 
consequence,  puts  his  passion  under  the  conduct  of  his  rea- 
son ;  an*!,  whoever  does  so,  it  will  never  suffer  it  to  be  trans- 
ported beyond  its  proper  bounds  :  whereas  he,  whose  anger  is 
like  tinder,  that  catches  as  soon  as  the  spark  is  upon  it,  and 
who  uses  no  means  to  stop  its  spreading,  is  presently  blown  up 
into  a  furious  flame,  which,  before  it  is  extinguished,  do  more 
mischief  than  he  is  ever  able  to  repair ;  for,  no  man  knows 


Resolutions.  121 

whither  his  anger  may  hurry  him,  when  once  it  has  got  the 
mastery  of  him.  In  order,  therefore,  to  prevent  the  fatal  con- 
sequences of  this  passion,  I  now  resolve  never  to  speak  or  do 
any  thing,  while  I  am  under  the  influence  of  it,  but  take  time 
to  consider  with  myself,  and  reflect  upon  the  several  circum- 
stances of  the  action  or  object  it  arises  from,  as  well  as  the 
occasion  and  tendency  of  it  ;  and,  as  oft  as  I  find  any  thing  in 
it  displeasing  to  God,  to  be  regularly  angry  at  that,  to  cor- 
rect, rebuke,  and  reprove  it,  with  a  zeal  and  fervour  of  spirit, 
suitable  to  the  occasion  ;  but  still  to  keep  within  the  bounds 
of  the  truly  Christian  temper,  which  is  always  distinguished  by 
love  and  charity,  and  exercises  itself  in  meekness  and  mode- 
ration. And,  oh,  what  a  sedate  and  contented  spirit  will  this 
resolution  breed  in  me  ?  How  easy  and  quiet  shall  I  be  under 
all  circumstances  ?  Whilst  others  are  peevish  and  fretful,  and 
torment  themselves  with  every  petty  trifle  that  does  but  cross 
their  inclinations,  or  seem  to  be  injurious  to  them  ;  or  fall  into 
the  other  extreme,  of  a  stoical  apathy  or  insensibility  ;  I  shall, 
by  this  resolution,  maintain  a  medium  betwixt  both,  and  pos- 
sess my  soul  in  peace  and  patience. 


CONCERNING  MY  WORDS. 

Having  thus  far  cleansed  the  fountain  of  my  heart,  with 
regard  to  my  thoughts  and  affections,  which  are  the  immediate 
issues  of  my  active  soul,  the  next  thing  incumbent  upon  me 
is  to  regulate  my  outward  conversation,  both  with  respect  to 
my  words  and  actions.  As  to  the  first,  the  holy  Scripture  as- 
sures me,  that  the  tongue  is  a  world  of  iniquity,  James  iii.  6. 
And  again,  that  it  is  an  unruly  evil  which  no  ntaii  can  tame, 
ver.  8.  But  is  it,  indeed,  so  unruly  ?  Then  there  is  the  more 
occasion  to  have  it  governed  and  subdued  ;  and,  since  that  is 
not  to  be  done  by  man  alone,  it  is  still  more  necessary,  that  I 
should  call  in  the  assistance  of  that  divine  Spirit  that  gives  this 
character  of  it,  first  to  fix  my  resolutions,  and  then  to  strengthen 
me  in  the  performance  of  them.  I  stedfastly  purpose  to  imi- 
tate the  royal  Psalmist  in  this  particular,  and  to  take  heed  to  my 
ways,  that  I  offend  not  with  my  tongue,  Psalm  xxxix.  1.  Yea, 
I  am  resolved,  with  holy  Job,  that  all  the  while  my  breath,  and 
the  Spirit  of  God,  is  in  my  nostrils,  my  lips  shall  not  speak 
wickedness,  nor  my  tongue  utter  deceit,  Job  xxvii.  3,  4.  But, 
since  it  is  such  an  unruly  instrument,  so  very  difficult  to  be 
bridled  or  restrained,  do  thou,  O  God,  who  first  madest  it,  en- 

L 


122  Resolutions. 

able  me  to  get  the  mastery  of  it !  Set  a  watch,  O  Lord,  before 
my  mouth,  and  keep  the  door  of  my  lips,  that,  with  St.  Paul,  I 
may  speak  forth  the  words  of  truth  and  soberness,  and  make 
this  unruly  evil  a  happy  instrument  of  much  good !  Which 
that  I  may  do, 


RESOLUTION  I. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  never  to  speak  much,  lest  I 
often  speak  too  much ;  and  not  speak  at  all,  rather  than  to 
no  purpose. 

It  is  the  voice  of  fools  that  is  knoivn  by  the  multitude  of 
words,  Eccl.  v.  3.  in  which  there  are  divers  vanities,  ver.  7. 
and  sin  too,  Prov.  x.  19.  whereas,  he  that  refraineth  his  lips, 
is  wise.  This  is  that  piece  of  Christian  wisdom,  which  I  am 
now  resolving  to  look  after  ;  and  therefore,  never  to  deliver 
my  words  out  to  the  world  by  number,  but  by  weight ;  not  by 
quantity,  but  quality  ;  not  hiding  my  meaning  under  ambiguous 
terms  and  expressions,  but  fitting  words  exactly  to  express  my 
meaning  :  not  amusing  those  I  converse  with,  with  circles  of 
impertinence  and  circumlocution,  but  coming  directly  to  the 
matter,  by  the  straight  line  of  apt  expressions  ;  so  as  never  to 
speak  more  than  the  matter  requireth,  nor  to  speak  at  all,  when 
no  matter  requireth.  For,  why  should  I  spend  my  breath  for 
nothing  ?  Alas  !  that  is  not  all ;  if  I  spend  it  ill,  it  will  be  far 
worse  than  spending  it  for  nothing  ;  for  our  blessed  Saviour 
has  told  me,  that  I  must  answers/or  every  idle  and  unprofitable, 
as  well  as  profane  word,  Matt.  xii.  36.  But  now,  if  all  the 
vain  words  I  ever  spoke  should  be  written,  as  I  have  cause  to 
believe  they  are,  in  the  book  of  God's  remembrance,  how  many 
vast  volumes  must  they  make  !  and  if  an  index  should  be  made, 
where  to  find  profitable,  and  where  idle  words,  how  few  refer- 
ences would  there  be  to  the  former  ?  what  multitudes  to  the 
latter  ?  and  (what  is  yet  more  terrifying)  if  all  these  words 
should  be  brought  in  judgment  against  me  at  the  last  day,  how 
would  those  very  words  then  make  me  speechless  ?  and  what 
shame  and  confusion  of  face  would  they  then  strike  me  with  ? 
But  I  trust,  through  the  blood  of  my  Redeemer,  and  the  tears 
of  my  repentance,  they  will  all  be  washed  and  blotted  out,  be- 
fore I  come  to  appear  before  him.  In  order  to  this,  as  I  heartily 
bewail  and  detest  my  former  follies  in  this  respect ;  so  I  firmly 
purpose  and  resolve  to  use  my  utmost  endeavours,  for  the  time 


to  come,  not  to  give  way  to  any  more  such  idle  words  and  ex- 
pressions, as  are  likely  to  be  thus  prejudicial  to  my  eternal 
interest ;  but  always  to  consider  well  beforehand  what,  and 
how,  and  why  I  speak,  and  suffer  no  corrupt  communication  to 
proceed  out  of  my  mouth,  but  that  which  is  good,  to  the  use  of 
edifying,  that  it  may  minister  grace  to  the  hearers,  Eph.  iv.  29. 
I  know,  there  are  some  words,  that  are  purely  jocose,  spo- 
ken with  no  other  intent,  but  only  to  promote  mirth,  and  divert 
melancholy  ;  and  these  words,  so  long  as  they  are  harmless  and 
innocent,  so  long  as  they  do  not  reflect  dishonour  upon  God, 
nor  injure  the  character  and  reputation  of  my  neighbour,  are 
very  lawful  and  allowable  ;  inasmuch  as  they  conduce  to  the 
refreshing  and  reviving  of  my  spirits,  and  the  preservation  of 
my  health.  But  then,  I  must  always  take  care  so  to  wind  and 
turn  my  discourse,  that  what  recreates  me  in  speaking,  may 
profit  others  when  spoke  ;  that  my  words  may  not  only  be  such 
as  have  no  malignity  in  them,  but  such  as  may  be  useful  and 
beneficial ;  not  only  such  as  do  no  hurt,  but  likewise  such  as 
may  do  much  good  to  others,  as  well  as  to  myself.  To  this 
end,  I  firmly  resolve,  by  the  grace  of  God,  never  to  speak  only 
for  the  sake  of  speaking,  but  to  weigh  each  word  before  I 
speak  it,  and  consider  the  consequence  and  tendency  of  it, 
whether  it  may  really  be  the  occasion  of  good  or  evil,  or  tend 
to  the  edifying  or  scandalizing  of  the  person  I  speak  it  to. 


RESOLUTION  II. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  not  only  to  avoid  the  wick- 
edness of  swearing  falsely,  but  likewise  the  very  appearance 
of  swearing  at  all. 

Perjury  is  a  sin  condemned  by  the  very  laws  of  nature  ; 
insomuch  that  I  should  wrong  my  natural  faculties,  should  I 
give  way  to,  or  be  guilty  of  it.  For,  the  same  nature  that  tells 
me  the  person  of  God  is  to  be  adored,  tells  me  likewise  his 
name  is  to  be  reverenced  ;  and  what  more  horrid  impiety  can 
possibly  be  imagined,  than  to  prostitute  the  most  sacred  name 
of  the  most  high  God,  to  confirm  the  lies  of  sinful  men  ?  I 
know,  swearing  in  a  just  matter,  and  right  manner,  may  be  as 
lawful  under  the  New,  as  under  the  Old  Testament  ;  for  thus 
I  find  St.  Paul  saying,  As  God  is  true,  2  Cor.  i.  18.  and  ver. 
23.  I  call  God  for  a  record  upon  my  soul;  wherein  is  con- 
tained the  very  nature  of  an  oath,  which  is,  the  calling  God 


1 24  Resolutions, 

for  a  record  and  a  witness  to  the  truth  of  what  we  speak  :  but 
when  it  is  to  maintain  falsehood,  which  is  to  an  ill  purpose,  or 
lightly  and  vainly,  which  is  to  no  purpose  at  all,  it  is  a  sin  of 
the  highest  aggravation,  that  ought,  with  the  greatest  detesta- 
tion and  abhorrence,  to  be  shunned  and  avoided.  God  saitli, 
by  Moses,  Lev.  xix.  12.  Thou  shalt  not  swear  by  my  name 
falsely,  neither  shalt  thou  profane  the  name  of  thy  God :  I  am 
the  Lord.  And,  Exod.  xx.  7.  Deut.  v.  11.  Thou  shalt  not  take 
the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain ;  for  the  Lord  will  not 
hold  him  guiltless  that  taketh  his  name  in  vain.  But  farther, 
God  says,  by  Christ,  Swear  not  at  all ;  neither  by  heaven,  for 
it  is  God's  throne;  nor  by  the  earth,  for  it  is  his  footstool,  Sfc 
So  that  not  only  by  God,  and  by  Jesus,  are  oaths,  but  swearing 
by  any  of  God's  creatures,  is,  in  a  manner,  to  swear  by  God 
himself.  I  swear  by  the  heavens  ;  can  the  heavens  hear,  or 
witness  what  I  say  ?  No,  it  is  the  glorious  Majesty  that  rules 
there,  that  I  call  upon  to  witness  the  truth  of  the  words  I  speak, 
and  the  sinfulness  of  my  heart  for  swearing  to  them.  Do  I 
swear  by  my  faith  ?  But  how  is  that  ?  Can  faith  testify  what  I 
say  ?  No,  it  is  only  he  that  wrought  this  faith  in  my  heart  can 
witness  the  truth  of  my  words.  And  if  I  swear  by  the  gifts  of 
God,  I  do,  in  effect,  swear  by  God  himself;  otherwise,  I  as- 
cribe that  to  the  creature,  which  is  only  compatible  to  the  glo- 
rious Creator,  even  the  knowledge  of  the  thoughts  of  my 
heart,  how  secret  soever  they  be. 

But  again,  there  is  more  in  the  third  commandment,  than 
the  devil  would  persuade  the  world  there  is  ;  for,  when  God 
commands  me  not  to  take  his  name  in  vain,  it  is  more  than  if 
he  had  commanded  me  only  not  to  swear  by  it :  for  I  cannot 
persuade  myself,  but  that  every  time  I  speak  of  God,  when  I 
do  not  think  of  him,  I  take  his  name  in  vain  ;  and,  therefore, 
I  ought  to  endeavour  to  avoid  even  mentioning  of  God,  as  well 
as  swearing  by  him,  unless  upon  urgent  occasions,  and  with 
reverence  and  respect  becoming  his  majesty  ;  for,  questionless, 
O  Lord,  and  O  God,  may  be  spoken  as  vainly,  as  By  Lord, 
and  By  God.  And,  therefore,  I  ought  never  to  speak  such 
words,  without  thinking  really  in  my  heart,  what  I  speak  o- 
penly  with  my  mouth,  lest  my  name  be  written  amongst  those 
that  take  the  name  of  God  in  vain.  But  farther  still,  I  am 
resolved  not  only  to  avoid  downright  swearing,  but  likewise 
the  very  appearance  of  it :  so  that  what  doth  but  look  like  an 
oath,  shall  be  as  odious  to  me,  as  what  looks  like  nothing  else. 


Resolutions.  125 


RESOLUTION  III. 

I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  make  my  tongue 
and  heart  go  together,  so  as  never  to  speak  with  the  one, 
what  I  do  not  think  in  the  otlier. 

As  my  happiness  consisteth  in  nearness  and  vicinity,  so  doth 
my  holiness  in  likeness  and  conformity,  to  the  chiefest  good. 
I  am  so  much  the  better,  as  I  am  liker  the  best ;  and  so  much 
the  holier,  as  I  am  more  conformable  to  the  holiest,  or  rather, 
to  him  who  is  holiness  itself.  Now,  one  great  title  which  the 
Most  High  is  pleased  to  give  to  himself,  and  by  which  he  is 
pleased  to  reveal  himself  to  us,  is,  the  God  of  truth :  so  that 
I  shall  be  so  much  the  liker  to  the  God  of  truth,  by  how  much 
I  am  more  constant  to  the  truth  of  God.  And  the  farther  I 
deviate  from  this,  the  nearer  I  approach  to  the  nature  of 
the  devil,  who  is  the  father  of  lies,  and  liars  too,  John  viii.  44. 
And  hence  it  is,  that  of  all  the  sins  the  men  of  fashion  are 
guilty  of,  they  can  least  endure  to  be  charged  of  lying.  To 
give  a  man  the  lie,  or  to  say,  You  lie,  is  looked  upon  as  the 
greatest  affront  that  can  be  put  upon  them.  And  why  so  ? 
But  only  because  the  sin  of  lying  makes  them  so  like  their 
father  the  devil,  that  a  man  had  almost  as  well  call  them  devils, 
as  liars  ;  and  therefore,  to  avoid  the  scandal  and  reproach,  as 
well  as  the  dangerous  malignity  of  this  damnable  sin,  I  am  re- 
solved, by  the  blessing  of  God,  always  to  tune  my  tongue  in 
unison  to  my  heart,  so  as  never  to  speak  any  thing  but  what  I 
think  really  to  be  true.  So  that,  if  I  ever  speak  what  is  not 
true,  it  shall  not  be  the  error  of  my  will,  but  of  my  under- 
standing. 

I  know,  lies  are  commonly  distinguished  into  officious,  per- 
nicious, and  jocose;  and  some  may  fancy  some  of  them  more 
tolerable  than  others.  But,  for  my  own  part,  I  think,  they 
are  all  pernicious,  and  therefore  not  to  be  jested  withal,  nor 
indulged  upon  any  pretence  or  colour  whatsoever.  Not  as  if 
it  was  a  sin,  not  to  speak  exactly  as  a  thing  is  in  itself,  or  as 
it  seems  to  me  in  its  literal  meaning,  without  some  liberty 
granted  to  rhetorical  tropes  and  figures ;  (for  so  the  Scripture 
itself  would  be  chargeable  with  lies  ;  many  things  being  con- 
tained in  it,  which  are  not  true  in  a  literal  sense.)  But  I  must 
so  use  rhetorical,  as  not  to  abuse  my  Christian,  liberty  ;  and, 
therefore,  never  make  use  of  hyperboles,  ironies,  or  other 
tropes  and  figures,  to  deceive  or  impose  upon  my  auditors, 

L  2 


1 26  Resolutions. 

but  only  for  the  better  adorning,  illustrating,  or  confirming 
the  matter. 

But  there  is  another  sort  of  lies  most  men  are  apt  to  fall 
into,  and  they  are  promissory  lies ;  to  avoid  which,  I  am  re- 
solved, never  to  promise  any  thing  with  my  mouth,  but  what 
I  intend  to  perform  in  my  heart ;  and  never  to  intend  to  perform 
any  thing,  but  what  I  am  sure  I  can  perform.  For  this  is  the 
cause  and  occasion  of  most  promissory  lies,  that  we  promise 
that  absolutely,  which  we  should  promise  only  conditionally  : 
for,  though  I  may  intend  to  do  as  I  say  now,  yet  there  are  a 
thousand  weighty  things  may  intervene,  which  may  turn  the 
balance  of  my  intentions,  or  otherwise  hinder  the  perform- 
ance of  my  promise.  So  that,  unless  I  be  absolutely  sure  I 
can  do  a  tiling,  I  must  never  absolutely  promise  to  do  it ;  and, 
therefore,  in  all  such  promises,  shall  still  put  in  God  willing^ 
or,  by  the  help  of  God ;  at  the  same  time  lifting  up  my  heart 
to  God,  lest  I  take  his  name  in  vain. 


RESOLUTION  IV. 

I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  speak  of  other  men's 
sins  only  before  their  faces,  and  of  their  virtues  only  behind 
their  backs. 

To  commend  men  when  they  are  present,  I  esteem  almost 
as  great  a  piece  of  folly,  as  to  reprove  them  when  they  are 
absent ;  though  I  do  confess,  in  some  cases,  and  to  some  per- 
sons, it  may  be  commendable,  especially  when  the  person  is 
not  apt  to  be  puffed  up,  but  spurred  on  by  it.  But,  to  rail  at 
others,  when  they  hear  me  not,  is  the  highest  piece  of  folly 
imaginable ;  for,  as  it  is  impossible  they  should  get  any  good, 
so  it  is  impossible  but  that  I  should  get  much  hurt  by  it.  For 
such  sort  of  words,  make  the  best  we  can  of  them,  are  but 
idle  and  unprofitable,  and  may  not  only  prove  injurious  to  the 
person  of  whom,  but  even  to  whom,  they  are  spoken,  by 
wounding  the  credit  of  the  former,  and  the  charity  of  the  lat- 
ter, and  so,  by  consequence,  my  own  soul  ;  nay,  even  though 
I  speak  that  which  is  true  in  itself,  and  known  to  be  so  to  me  : 
and,  therefore,  this  way  of  backbiting  ought,  by  all  means,  to 
be  avoided. 

But  I  must,  much  more,  have  a  care  of  raising  false  reports 
concerning  any  one,  or  of  giving  credit  to  them  that  raise 
them,  or  of  passing  ray  iudsrment,  till  I  have  weighed  the  mat- 


Resolutions.  127 

ter ;  lest  I  transgress  the  rules  of  mercy  and  charity,  which 
command  me  not  to  censure  any  one  upon  others'  rumours, 
or  my  own  surmises ;  nay,  if  the  thing  be  in  itself  true,  still 
to  interpret  it  in  the  best  sense.  But,  if  I  must  needs  be  raking 
in  other  men's  stores,  it  must  not  be  behind  their  backs,  but 
before  their  faces ;  for  the  one  is  a  great  sin,  and  the  other 
may  be  as  great  a  duty,  even  to  reprove  my  neighbour  for  doing 
any  thing  offensive  unto  God,  or  destructive  to  his  own  soul ; 
still  endeavouring  so  to  manage  the  reproof,  as  to  make  his  sin 
loathsome  to  him,  and  prevail  upon  him,  if  possible,  to  for- 
sake it  :  but  there  is  a  great  deal  of  Christian  prudence  and 
discretion  to  be  used  in  this,  lest  others  may  justly  reprove  me 
for  my  indiscreet  reproof  of  others.  1  must  still  fit  my  re- 
proof to  the  time  when,  the  person  to  whom,  and  the  sin  a- 
gainst  which,  it  is  designed ;  still  contriving  with  myself,  how 
to  carry  on  this  duty  so,  as  that  by  converting  a  sinner  from 
the  evil  of  his  ways,  I  may  save  my  soul  from  death,  and  hide 
a  multitude  of  sins,  James  v.  20.  Not  venting  my  anger  against 
the  person,  but  my  sorrow  for  the  sin  that  is  reproved.  Hot, 
passionate,  and  reviling  words,  will  not  so  much  exasperate  a 
man  against  his  sin  that  is  reproved,  as  against  the  person  that 
doth  reprove  it.  It  is  not  the  wrath  of  man  that  icorketh  the 
righteousness  of  God,  James  i.  20.  But  this  of  all  duties, 
must  be  performed  with  a  spirit  of  love  and  meekness  ;  I  must 
first  insinuate  myself  into  his  affections,  and  then  press  his  sin 
upon  his  conscience,  and  that  directly  or  indirectly,  as  the 
person,  matter  or  occasion  shall  require,  that  so  he  that  is 
reproved  by  me  now,  may  have  cause  to  bless  God  for  me  to 
all  eternity. 


RESOLUTION  V. 

I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  always  to  speak  reverently 
to  my  superiors,  humbly  to  my  inferiors,  and  civilly  to  alL 

The  most  high  God,  the  master  of  this  great  family,  the 
world,  for  the  more  orderly  government  of  it,  hath,  according 
to  his  infinite  wisdom,  set  some  in  higher,  some  in  lower  places* 
hath  made  some  as  stewards,  others  as  under-servants  ;  and, 
according  to  every  man's  work  that  he  expects  from  him,  he 
measures  out  his  talents  to  him.  Blessed  be  his  name  for  it, 
he  hath  set  me  in  a  middle  form,  giving  me  Agar's  wish,  sub- 
ject neither  to  envy  on  one  hand,  nor  pity  on  the  other ;  so 


128  Resolutions. 

that  I  have  both  superiors  to  reverence,  and  inferiors  to  con- 
descend to.  And,  accordingly,  it  is  my  duty  so  to  behave  my- 
self towards  them,  that  the  reverend  expressions  of  my  mouth 
may  manifest  the  obedient  subjection  of  my  heart,  to  the  power 
and  authority  God  has  given  them  over  me.  It  is  the  express 
command  of  the  Gospel,  that  we  should  render  to  every  man 
his  due,  fear  to  whom  fear,  honour  to  whom  honour  belongeth, 
Rom.  xiii.  7.  which  words  plainly  imply,  both  that  it  is  some 
men's  due  to  receive  honour,  and  other  men's  duty  to  give  it. 
And,  accordingly,  we  find,  Paul,  when  he  was  brought  be- 
fore Festus,  doth  not  say  Art  thou  he,  whom  they  call  Festus  ? 
or,  Thou  Festus,  as  the  misguided  enthusiasts,  in  our  days, 
would  have  said  :  but,  Most  noble  Festus,  Acts  xxvi.  25.  In 
like  manner,  St.  John  doth  not  call  her  he  writes  to,  in  his 
second  Epistle,  being  a  person  of  quality,  Woman,  but  Elect 
Lady.  And  this  sort  of  reverence  is  farther  confirmed  to  us, 
not  only  by  the  constant  custom  of  all  nations,  in  all  ages  of 
the  world,  but  it  is  likewise  highly  agreeable  to  the  rules  of 
right  reason,  as  well  as  the  order  of  government.  For,  as 
there  is  both  a  natural  and  civil  superiority,  a  superiority  in 
gifts  and  age,  and  a  superiority  likewise  in  office  and  station  ; 
so  there  is  nothing  can  be  more  necessary,  than  that  there 
should  be,  in  both  these  respects,  a  reverence  and  respect 
paid  to  the  persons  of  men,  answerable  to  these  distinctions. 
And,  therefore,  I  cannot  but  condemn  that  rude  and  unman- 
nerly behaviour  of  some  of  our  modern  schismatics,  towards 
their  superiors,  as  factious  and  unreasonable,  as  well  as  re- 
pugnant to  the  dictates  of  the  divine  Spirit,  which  the  pro- 
phets and  apostles  were  inspired  and  influenced  by. 

And,  as  there  is  a  reverence  due  from  inferiors  to  their  su- 
periors, in  point  of  conversation,  so  likewise  are  there  some 
decent  regards  and  civilities  to  be  shewed  even  by  superiors  to 
their  inferiors,  who  are  always  to  be  treated  with  candour  and 
condescension,  in  their  ordinary  capacities  ;  and  even  where 
they  are  considered  as  criminals,  with  meekness  and  modera- 
tion. Insomuch  that,  methinks,  it  is  one  of  the  worst  sights 
in  the  world,  to  see  some  men,  that  are  gotten  upon  a  little 
higher  ground  than  their  neighbours  are,  to  look  proudly  and 
scornfully  down  upon  all  that  are  below  them,  disdaining  to 
vouchsafe  them  the  least  favour  or  respect  whatsoever.  Such 
churlish,  haughty,  and  foul-mouthed  Nabals  as  these,  are  not 
only  very  unjust,  and  unreasonable  in  their  behaviour  to  others, 
but  they  are  certainly  the  greatest  enemies  to  themselves,  that 
they  have  in  all  the  world  besides  ;  not  only  by  drawing  upon 
them  the  hatred  and  enmitv  of  all  that  are  about  them,  but 


Resolutions.  129 

likewise  by  tormenting  themselves  with  such  frivolous  things, 
as  such  spirits  commonly  do.  Wherefore,  that  I  may  please 
God,  my  neighbour,  and  myself,  in  what  I  speak,  though  I 
could  excel  other  men  (which  is  impossible  for  me  to  suppose) 
in  every  thing  ;  I  resolve,  by  God's  grace,  always  to  behave 
myself  so,  as  if  I  excelled  them  in  nothing  ;  and  not  only  to 
speak  reverently  to  them  that  are  above  me,  but  humbly  and 
civilly  to  those  that  are  beneath  me  too.  I  will  always  endea- 
vour to  use  such  humble  winning  words,  as  to  manifest  more  of 
my  love  to  them,  than  my  power  over  them  :  I  will  always 
season  my  tongue  with  savoury,  not  bitter  expressions,  not 
making  my  mouth  a  vent  for  my  fury  and  passion  to  fume  out 
at,  but  rather  an  instrument  to  draw  others'  love  and  affection 
in  by  ;  still  speaking  as  civilly  unto  others,  as  I  would  have 
them  speak  civilly  to  me. 


CONCERNING  MY  ACTIONS. 

The  other  way  of  my  soul's  putting  forth,  and  shewing  her- 
self to  the  world,  is,  by  her  actions,  which  it  concerns  me  as 
much  to  look  to  and  regulate,  as  my  words ;  forasmuch  as 
there  is  not  the  least  ill  circumstance  in  any  action,  but  what, 
unless  it  be  repented  of,  must  be  brought  into  question,  and 
answered  for,  at  the  last  day  :  for  though  an  action  cannot  be 
denominated  good,  unless  it  be  good  in  all  circumstances  and 
respects  ;  yet  it  is  always  denominated  bad,  if  it  is  bad  only  in 
one.  As  it  is  in  music,  if  but  one  string  jar,  or  be  out  of  tune, 
the  whole  harmony  is  spoiled  ;  so  here,  if  but  one  circum- 
stance in  an  action  be  wanting  or  defective,  the  whole  action 
is  thereby  rendered  immoral. 

How  much,  therefore,  doth  it  behove  me  to  keep  a  strict 
watch  over  myself,  and  so  to  perform  every  action,  and  place 
every  circumstance  in  it,  that  it  may  have  its  approbation  in 
the  court  of  heaven  ?  Well ;  I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of 
God,  to  try  what  I  can  do.  I  know,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to 
resolve  upon  particular  actions  :  but,  howsoever,  I  shall  re- 
solve upon  such  general  rules,  the  application  of  which  to  par- 
ticular acts  may  make  them  pleasing  and  acceptable  to  the 
sight  of  God  ;  always  premising  this  which  I  have  resolved 
upon  before,  as  the  best  foundation,  viz.  to  square  all  my  ac- 
tions by  the  Scripture  rule,  and  to  do  nothing,  but  what  I  have, 
some  way  or  other,  a  warrant  for  in  the  word  of  God.  Upon 
this  fixed  and  steady  principle, 


130  Resolutions. 


RESOLUTION  I. 

J  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  every  thing  in  obedi- 
ence to  the  will  of  God. 

It  is  not  sufficient,  that  what  I  do  is  the  will  of  God,  but  I 
must  therefore  do  it,  because  it  is  the  will  of  God.  For,  what 
saith  my  Father  ?  My  son  give  me  thine  heart,  and  let  thine  eyes 
observe  my  ways,  Pro  v.  xxiii.  26.  So  that  my  Father  will  not 
only  have  my  hand,  but  my  heart  too  :  and  my  feet  must  not 
walk  in  the  ways  of  God,  till  my  eyes  have  observed  and  dis- 
cerned them  to  be  so.  I  may  do  an  action  that  in  itself  is 
good,  and  yet,  at  the  same  time  not  do  a  good  action,  if  I  do 
not  therefore  do  it,  because  it  is  so ;  ex.  gr.  I  may  give  an 
alms  to  the  poor,  feed  the  hungry,  or  clothe  the  naked  ;  but 
let  me  examine  and  consider  well,  upon  what  principle  these 
actions  are  founded,  whether  I  therefore  do  them,  because 
God  hath  commanded  them  ;  if  not,  my  feeding  of  the  poor 
will  be  no  more  a  good  action,  than  the  ravens  feeding  the  pro- 
phet was,  1  Kings  xvii.  6.  Their  feeding  of  the  prophet  was 
commanded  by  God,  as  well  as  my  feeding  of  the  poor  ;  but  I 
cannot  say,  they  did  a  good  action ;  because  though  they  did 
do  this  which  was  commanded  by  God,  yet  being  irrational 
creatures,  they  could  not  reflect  upon  that  command,  and  so 
could  not  do  this  in  obedience  to  it. 

There  are  some  persons,  to  the  very  frame  and  disposition 
of  whose  spirits  some  sins  are,  in  their  nature,  odious  and 
abominable.  Thus  I  have  known  some,  whose  very  constitu- 
tions have  carried  them  into  an  antipathy  to  lust  and  luxury  ; 
and  others  again,  who  could  never  endure  to  drink  beyond 
their  thirst,  much  less  to  unman  and  be-beast  themselves  by 
drinking  to  excess.  And  the  like  may  be  observed  of  covet- 
ousness,  which  Luther  was  such  an  enemy  to,  that  it  is  said  to 
be  against  his  very  nature.  Now,  I  say,  though  the  abstaining 
from  these  sins  be  highly  commendable  in  all  sorts  of  persons, 
yet  unless,  together  with  the  streams  of  their  natural  disposi- 
tion, there  run  likewise  a  spiritual  desire  to  please  God,  and 
obey  his  commands,  their  abstaining  from  these  vices  is  no 
more  than  the  brute  beasts  themselves  do,  who  always  act  ac- 
cording to  the  temper  of  their  bodies,  and  are  never  guilty  of 
any  excesses  that  are  prejudicial  to  them.  Hence,  servants 
are  commanded  to  be  obedient  to  their  masters,  with  good-will 
doing  service  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not  to  men ;  Eph.  vi.  5,  6, 
7.  which  clearly  shows,  that  though  a  servant  doth  obey  his 


Resolutions.  131 

master,  yet  if  he  doth  not  do  it  in  obedience  unto  God,  he  will 
not  find  acceptance  with  him.  So  that,  whensoever  I  set  my 
hand  to  any  action  that  is  good,  I  must  still  fix  my  eye  upon 
God's  commanding  of  it,  and  do  it  only  in  respect  to  that ;  as 
knowing,  that  if  I  give  but  a  farthing  to  the  poor  in  all  my 
life,  and  do  it  in  obedience  to  God's  commands,  it  shall  be 
accepted  sooner  than  theirs,  who  feed  hundreds  at  their  table 
every  day,  and  have  not  respect  to  the  same  command. 

Do  I  see  a  poor  wretch  ready  to  fall  down  to  the  earth  for 
want  of  a  little  support,  and  my  bowels  begin  to  yearn  towards 
him  ?  let  me  search  into  my  heart,  and  see  what  it  is  that  raises 
this  compassion  in  me.  If  it  flows  only  from  a  natural  tender- 
ness to  a  brother  in  misery,  without  regard  to  the  love  of  God, 
who  has  commanded  and  enjoined  it,  the  poor  man  may  be  suc- 
coured and  relieved,  but  God  will  not  be  pleased  or  delighted 
with  it.  Again,  do  my  friends  stir  me  up  to  pray  or  hear,  or 
do  any  other  spiritual  or  civil  action,  and  I  therefore  only  do 
it,  because  of  their  importunity  ?  I  may  satisfy  my  friends'  de- 

;  sire,  but  cannot  properly  be  said  to  obey  the  commands  of 
God,  in  such  a  performance  ;  so  that  the  great  and  only  foun- 
dation that  I  must  resolve  to  build  all  the  actions  of  my  life  upon 

!  is  an  uniform  obedience  to  that  God,  by  whom  alone  I  am  en- 
abled to  perform  them. 


RESOLUTION  II. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  every  thing  with  pru- 
dence and  discretion,  as  well  as  with  zeal  and  affection. 

Whilst  I  am  penned  up  in  this  earthly  tabernacle,  I  live 
almost  as  in  a  darksome  dungeon,  having  no  light  to  work  by, 
but  a  little  that  springs  in  at  the  narrow  crevices  of  my  under- 
standing. So  that  I  had  need  to  make  use  of  all  that  little 
light  and  knowledge  I  have,  to  regulate  the  heat  and  zeal  that 
sometimes  sits  upon  my  spirit.  For,  good  passions  may  some- 
times carry  me  into  bad  actions  ;  my  zeal,  when  hot  in  the 
pursuits  of  God's  glory,  may  sometimes  hurry  me  beyond  his 
laws ;  especially,  where  Christian  prudence  hath  not  first 
chalked  out  the  way,  and  set  the  bounds  for  it :  as,  in  dis- 
course, my  zeal  may  put  me  upon  throwing  pearls  before 
swine,  or  using  words,  when  silence  may  be  more  commenda- 
ble ;  so,  in  my  actions  too,  unless  wisdom  and  discretion  go- 
vern and  command  my  affections,  I  shall  frequently  run  into 


132  Resolutions. 

such  as  would  be  altogether  needless  and  impertinent,  and 
therefore  ought  to  be  omitted,  and  daily  neglect  several  duties, 
which  ought  to  be  performed. 

But,  my  understanding  and  discretion  is  chiefly  requisite  for 
the  ordering  of  time  and  place,  and  other  particular  circum- 
stances, the  irregular  management  of  which  may  easily  spoil 
the  best  of  actions.  For  instance,  that  may  be  a  good  work 
at  one  time  and  place,  which  is  not  at  another ;  and  may  be 
very  innocent  and  becoming  in  one  person,  though  quite  con- 
trary in  another.  It  is,  therefore,  the  proper  office  of  my  un- 
derstanding, to  point  out  the  fittest  time  and  place,  and  person, 
for  the  performance  of  each  action  I  engage  in.  As  for  ex- 
ample, in  distributing  to  the  poor,  my  hand  of  charity  must  be 
either  guided  by  the  eye  of  understanding,  where,  when,  how 
much,  and  to  whom,  to  give  ;  or  else  I  may,  at  the  same  time, 
not  only  offend  God,  but  wrong  my  neighbour,  and  myself  too. 
And  so  for  all  other  actions  whatsoever  ;  which  I  ought,  there- 
fore, never  to  set  myself  about,  though  it  be  of  the  lowest  rank, 
without  consulting  the  rules  of  wisdom,  modelled  by  the  law 
of  God. 


RESOLUTION  III. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  never  to  set  my  hand,  my 
head,  or  my  heart,  about  any  thing,  but  what  I  verily  believe 
is  good  in  itself,  and  will  be  esteemed  so  by  God. 

Without  faith,  the  Apostle  tells  me,  it  is  impossible  to  please 
God,  Heb.  xi.  6.  For  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin,  Rom. 
xiv.  23.  Where,  by  faith,  we  are  not  to  understand  that  saving 
faith,  whereby  I  believe  my  person  is  justified  through  Christ ; 
but  that,  whereby  I  believe  my  works  shall  be  accepted  by 
God  :  for  faith  here  is  opposed  to  doubting  ;  and  that  not 
about  Christ's  dying  for  me,  or  my  living  in  him,  but  about 
the  particular  actions  of  my  life.  He  that  doubteth,  saith  the 
apostle,  is  damned,  if  he  eat ;  that  is,  he  thateateth  that  which 
he  doubteth  whether  he  may  lawfully  eat  or  no,  is  damned  ; 
because  he  sins  in  doing  it,  and  therefore  may  be  damned  for 
it.  Rut  why  so  ?  Because  he  eateth  not  of  faith ;  because  he 
doth  that,  which  he  knows  not  whether  he  may  do  or  no,  not 
believing  it  to  be  really  good  in  itself,  or  acceptable  unto  God. 
And,  though  the  apostle  here  instances  only  in  that  particular 
action  of  eating,  yet  what  he  says  with  relation  to  that,  is  pro- 


Resolutions.  1 33 

perly  applicable  to  all  the  other  actions  of  life  :  for,  he  after- 
wards subjoins,  whatsoever  is  not  of  faith,  is  sin ;  whatsoever 
it  is,  good  or  bad,  if  not  done  by  faith,  it  is  sin. 

And  truly,  this  particular  will  be  of  great  use  through  my 
whole  life,  for  the  avoiding  of  many  sins,  and  for  the  doing  of 
much  good :  for  many  things,  which  are  good  in  themselves, 
may,  for  want  of  faith,  become  quite  otherwise  to  me  ;  my 
heart  not  believing  what  I  do  is  good,  my  hand  can  never  make 
it  so.  Or,  if  I  think  what  I  do  is  bad,  though  it  be  not  so  in 
itself,  yet  my  very  thinking  it  so,  will  make  it  so  to  me. 

And  this  is  that  which  we  call  doing  any  thing  with  a  good 
conscience,  or  keeping,  as  St.  Paul  did,  our  conscience  void  of 
offence.  And  to  go  contrary  to  the  dictates  of  my  conscience 
in  this  particular,  is  to  transgress  the  command  of  God.  For 
in  this,  conscience  is  as  God's  vicegerent  in  my  soul ;  what 
conscience  commands,  God  commands  ;  what  conscience  for- 
bids, God  forbids ;  that  is,  I  am  as  really  under  the  power  of 
conscience,  as  the  commands  of  God,  in  such  a  case.  So  that, 
if  I  do  not  obey  the  former,  it  is  impossible  for  me  to  obey  the 
latter.  But  how  much  then  doth  it  behove  me  to  see  that  my 
conscience  be  rightly  informed  in  every  thing  ?  For  as,  if  a 
judge  be  misinformed,  it  is  impossible  he  should  pass  righteous 
judgment ;  so,  if  conscience  be  misinformed,  it  is  impossible 
I  should  do  a  righteous  act.  And,  what  a  miserable  case  shall 
I  then  be  in  ?  If  I  do  what  in  itself  is  sinful,  though  my  con- 
science tells  me  it  is  good,  yet  I  sin,  because  the  act  in  itself 
is  sinful ;  and  if  I  do  what  in  itself  is  good,  and  my  conscience 
tells  me  it  is  bad,  I  sin,  because  my  conscience  tells  me  it  is 
so  :  so  that  as  my  conscience  is,  so  will  my  actions  be. 

For  this  reason,  I  resolve,  in  the  presence  of  my  great  Cre- 
ator, never  to  do  any  thing,  till  I  have  first  informed  my  con- 
science, from  the  word  of  God,  whether  it  be  lawful  for  me  to 
do  it,  or  no  ;  or,  in  case  it  be  not  determined  there,  to  make 
a  strict  search  and  enquiry  into  each  circumstance  of  it,  con- 
sidering with  myself  what  good  or  evil  may  issue  from  it,  and 
so,  what  good  or  evil  there  is  in  it ;  and,  according  as  my 
conscience,  upon  the  hearing  of  the  arguments  on  both  sides, 
shall  decide  the  matter,  I  shall  do,  or  not  do  it ;  never  under- 
taking any  thing  upon  mere  surmises,  because  it  may  be  good, 
but  upon  a  real  and  thorough  persuasion  that  it  is  so. 

M 


134  Resolutions. 


RESOLUTION  IV. 

I  am  resolved j  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  all  things  for  the 
glory  of  God. 

As  I  was  not  made  by,  so  neither  for  myself ;  for  God,  says 
the  wise  man,  made  all  things  for  himself  Prov.  xvi.  4.  And 
being  thus  made  for  God,  it  follows,  on  course,  that  I  ought  to 
act  for  God  ;  otherwise,  I  shall  frustrate  the  end  of  my  crea- 
tion. Insomuch  that  whatsoever  I  make  my  chief  aim  in  what 
1  do,  I  make  that  my  God.  Do  I  aim  at  the  glory  of  the  all- 
glorious  Jehovah  ?  it  is  him  I  make  my  God.  Do  I  aim  at 
riches  ?  then  it  is  Mammon  I  make  my  God  :  and  therefore  is 
it,  that  covetousness  is  called  idolatry,  Col.  iii.  5.  Do  I  aim 
at  pleasures?  it  is  my  senses  I  make  my  God,  Phil.  iii.  19. 
Do  I  aim  at  popular  applause,  or  worldly  advancements  1  or, 
do  I  aim  at  my  own  health  or  life  ?  these  are  my  Gods.  For 
what  is  worshipping,  but  making  all  the  powers  of  my  soul, 
and  actions  of  my  body,  to  bow  and  stoop  to  them  ?  Hence  it 
is,  that  the  most  high  God,  who  hath  said,  he  will  not  give  his 
glory  to  another,  hath  been  so  express  in  commanding  me  to 
do  all  things  to  his  glory  ;  whether  ye  eat  or  drink,  says  the 
apostle,  or  whatsoever  ye  do,  do  all  things  to  the  glory  of  God, 
1  Cor.  x.  31. 

But  how  can  I,  poor  worm,  be  said  to  do  any  thing  to  the 
glory  of  the  eternal  God  ?  Why,  in  the  same  manner  as  he  is 
said  to  do  what  he  doth,  for  his  own  glory.  And  how  is  that  ? 
By  manifesting  his  glory  unto  others.  Thus,  if  I  can  but  so 
live  and  act,  as  thereby  to  evidence,  that  the  God  I  serve  is  a 
glorious  God,  glorious  in  holiness,  glorious  in  goodness,  glori- 
ous in  wisdom,  glorious  in  power,  and  the  like  ;  this  is  doing- 
all  things  to  the  glory  of  God.  For  example,  by  praying  to 
God,  I  avouch  him  to  be  a  God  infinite  in  knowledge,  that  he 
is  present  with  me,  and  hears  me  pray,  wheresoever  I  am ;  and 
I  own  him  to  be  infinite  in  mercy,  in  that  he  will  suffer  such  a 
sinful  creature  as  I  am  to  address  myself  to  him,  &lc.  And 
so  there  is  not  the  least  action  I  undertake,  but  lam  so  to  man- 
age it,  as  to  manifest  the  glory  of  God  by  it,  making  it  my  end 
and  design  so  to  do  ;  otherwise,  let  me  do  what  I  will,  I  am 
sure  to  sin  ;  for  though,  I  confess,  a  good  end  can  never  make 
a  bad  action  good,  yet  a  bad  end  will  always  make  a  good  ac- 
tion bad  :  so  that,  as  ever  I  would  do  any  thing  that  is  good,  I 
must  be  sure  to  do  it  to  the  glory  of  God. 


Resolutions.  135 


RESOLUTION  V. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  mingle  such  recreations 
with  my  business,  as  to  further  my  business  by  my  recrea- 
tions. 

Having  wholly  devoted  myself  to  God,  all  I  have,  or  am,  is 
still  to  be  improved  for  him  ;  insomuch  that  was  it  not  for  the 
necessities  of  nature,  every  moment  of  my  life  should,  and 
ought  to  be  spent  in  the  immediate  worship  and  service  of  him. 
But  though  nature  requires  some  time  from  my  solemn  serving 
of  him,  for  the  recreating  of  myself;  yet  grace  requireth,  that 
this  recreating  of  myself  should  still  be  for  the  promoting 
his  service  ;  so  that  my  recreations  do  not  only  fit  me  for  far- 
ther service,  but  they,  in  themselves,  should  be,  some  way  or 
other,  serviceable  to  him ;  which  that  they  may  be,  I  must 
have  as  great  a  care  in  the  choice,  as  in  the  use  of  my  recrea- 
tions. 

There  are  some  recreations  that  are  so  far  from  conducing 
to  his  service,  that  they  may  make  more  for  the  incensing  of 
his  wrath  ;  as  drinking  and  gaming,  which,  though  in  them- 
selves lawful,  yet,  as  they  often  prove  an  occasion  of  swear- 
ing, lying,  cheating,  and  contention  amongst  men,  and,  by 
consequence,  of  wrath  in  God  ;  so  they  ought,  by  all  means, 
to  be  shunned  and  avoided.  Indeed,  it  may  be  questioned, 
whether  gaming  be  ever  a  lawful  recreation  :  for  either  it  is 
a  lottery,  or  not.  If  it  be  a  lottery,  it  is  not  lawful,  because 
it  is  a  great  presumption  and  sin  to  set  God  at  work  to  recre- 
ate ourselves ;  for  poor  nothings  to  employ  the  chiefest  good, 
immediately  to  determine  such  frivolous  and  trifling  imperti- 
nencies.  If  it  be  not  a  lottery,  then  it  is  not  a  pure  recrea- 
tion ;  for  if  it  depends  upon  man's  wit  and  study,  it  exercises 
his  brain  and  spirits  as  much  as  if  he  was  about  other  things  : 
so  that  being,  on  one  side,  not  lawful ;  on  the  other  side,  no 
recreation ;  it  can,  on  no  side,  be  a  lawful  recreation. 

For,  what  is  the  end  of  recreation,  but  to  revive  my  lan- 
guishing spirits,  to  let  them  rest  and  be  quiet  a  little,  when 
they  are  tired  with  too  much  exercise,  that  they  may  be  fresh- 
er, livelier,  and  fitter  for  work  afterwards  ?  Hence  it  is,  that 
God  indeed  hath  provided  a  recreation  for  all  sensible  crea- 
tures ;  sleep,  which  is  the  rest  of  the  spirits  in  the  nerve3. 
When  the  little  animal  spirits  have  been,  all  the  day,  running 
up  and  down  upon  the  soul's  errands,  then,  to  lie  down  still 
and  quiet,  is  a  great  refreshment  and  revivement  to  them,  pro- 


1 36  Resolutions. 

vided  still  that  it  be  moderately  used.  Whereas,  the  indulging 
ourselves  too  much  in  it,  is  rather  a  clogging  and  stupifying 
of  them ;  as  we  see  in  our  bodies,  which,  when  not  accus- 
tomed to,  are  most  averse  from,  and  unfit  for  exercise. 

So  that  the  chief  and  only  time  for  recreation  is  when  my 
spirits  are  either  weary  with  labour  and  study,  or  else  called 
in  to  some  necessary  employment  in  some  other  place  ;  as  at 
and  after  meals,  especially  such  as  are  of  a  hard  digestion ; 
for  then  the  spirits  have  enough  to  do,  to  turn  the  food  we  eat 
into  good  nourishment.  And  therefore  the  intenseness  of  stu- 
dy, running,  wrestling,  and  such-like  violent  exercises,  are 
not  proper  at  such  a  time  ;  because,  as  in  studying,  we  draw 
the  spirits  from  the  stomach  to  the  head ;  so,  in  the  other  ex- 
ercises, such  as  moderate  walking,  conference,  and  free  dis- 
course, about  common  but  necessary  points,  we  send  them 
from  the  stomach  into  other  parts  of  the  body,  where  they  are 
to  be  set  on  work. 

But  that  which  I  have  found  the  best  recreation,  both  to  my 
body  and  mind,  whensoever  either  of  them  stands  in  need  of 
it,  is  music,  which  exercises  at  once  both  my  body  and  my 
soul ;  especially  when  I  play  myself.  For  then,  methinks, 
the  same  motion  that  my  hand  makes  upon  the  instrument,  the 
instrument  makes  upon  my  heart ;  it  calls  in  my  spirits,  com- 
poses my  thoughts,  delights  my  ear,  recreates  my  mind,  and 
so  not  only  fits  me  for  after-business,  but  fills  my  heart,  at  the 
present,  with  pure  and  useful  thoughts  ;  so  that  when  the  mu- 
sic sounds  the  sweetliest  in  my  ears,  truth  commonly  flows 
the  clearest  into  my  mind.  And  hence  it  is,  that  I  find  my 
soul  is  become  more  harmonious,  by  being  accustomed  so 
much  to  harmony,  and  so  averse  to  all  manner  of  discord, 
that  the  least  jarring  sounds,  either  in  notes  or  words,  seem 
very  harsh  and  unpleasant  to  me. 

That  there  is  something  more  than  ordinary  in  music,  ap- 
pears from  David's  making  use  of  it,  for  driving  away  the  evil 
spirit  from  Saul,  and  Elisha,  for  the  bringing  of  the  good 
spirit  upon  himself.  From  which  I  am  induced  to  believe, 
that  there  is  really  a  sort  of  secret  and  charming  power  in  it, 
that  naturally  dispels  from  the  mind  all  or  most  of  those  black 
humours,  which  the  evil  spirit  uses  to  brood  upon,  and,  by 
composing  it  into  a  more  regular,  sweet,  and  docible  disposition, 
renders  it  fitter  for  the  Holy  Spirit  to  work  upon,  the  more 
susceptive  of  divine  grace,  and  more  faithful  messenger,  where- 
by to  convey  truth  to  the  understanding.  But  however  that 
be,  I  must  necessarily  acknowledge,  that  of  all  recreations, 
this  is  by  far  the  more  suitable  to  my  temper  and  disposition, 


Resolutions.  137 

in  that  it  is  not  only  an  exercise  to  my  body,  but  to  my  mind  too ; 
my  spirits  being  therefore  made  the  more  nimble  and  active, 
and,  by  consequence,  the  fitter  to  wait  upon  my  soul,  and  be 
employed,  by  her,  in  whatsoever  business  she  is  engaged. 

But  in  this,  and  all  other  recreations,  I  must  always  take 
care  not  to  exceed  my  measure,  either  in  point  of  time,  or 
intention ;  I  must  not  follow  them  too  close,  nor  spend  too 
many  hours  in  them,  but  still  resolve  to  use  them,  as  that  they 
may  not  become  a  snare  to  me,  but  answer  the  ends  for  which 
they  were  designed,  that  when  God  shall  call  me  to  it,  I  may 
give  him  as  good  an  account  of  my  recreations,  as  of  my  ne- 
cessary duties. 


CONCERNING  MY  RELATIONS. 

But  be  not  deceived,  O  my  soul ;  thou  art  not  yet  advan- 
ced far  enough  :  it  is  not  sufficient  to  pretend  to  holiness  in 
my  thoughts  and  affections,  and  in  my  words  and  actions,  un- 
less I  express  it  likewise  in  all  the  relations  and  conditions  of 
life.  The  commandments  of  God  are  said  to  be  exceeding 
broad;  they  extend  themselves  to  every  capacity  I  can  possi- 
bly be  in,  not  only  enjoining  me  to  live  soberly,  in  respect  to 
myself,  but  righteously  to  my  neighbour,  obediently  to  my  sove- 
reign, lovingly  to  my  wife,  and  faithfully  to  my  people  ;  other- 
wise I  cannot  live  holily  unto  God.  And,  therefore,  if  I  would 
be  thoroughly  religious,  I  must  farther  endeavour  to  fix  my 
resolutions  with  regard  to  the  several  duties  the  Most  High 
expects  from  me,  in  all  these  particular  relations  I  bear  to  him, 
during  my  sojourning  here  on  earth. 


RESOLUTION  I. 

J  am  resolvecL  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  honour  and  obey  the 
king,  or  prince,  whom  God  is  pleased  to  set  over  me,  as 
well  as  to  expect  he  should  safeguard  and  protect  me,  whom 
God  is  pleased  to  set  under  him. 

The  King  of  Icings,  and  Lord  of  lords,  the  great  and  glo- 
rious Monarch  of  all  the  world,  having  enacted  many  gracious 
laws,  is  pleased  to  set  over  every  kingdom  and  nation  such 
persons  as  may  put  them  in  execution.     So  that  I  cannot  but 

M2 


1 38  Resolutions. 

look  upon  a  lawful  king,  as  truly  a  representative  of  the  most 
high  God,  as  a  parliament  is  of  the  people  ;  and  am  therefore 
persuaded,  that  whosoever  rebels  against  him,  rebels  against 
God  himself;  not  only  in  that  he  rebels  against  the  ordinance 
of  God,  and  so  against  the  God  of  that  ordinance  ;  but  because 
he  rebels  against  him  whom  God  hath  set  up  as  his  vicegerent, 
to  represent  his  person  and  execute  his  laws  in  such  a  part  of 
his  dominions. 

Hence  it  is,  that  these  two  precepts,  fear  God,  and  honour 
the  king,  are  so  often  joined  together  in  holy  writ  ;  for  he  that 
fears  God's  power,  cannot  but  honour  his  authority ;  and  he 
that  honours  not  the  king,  that  represents  God,  cannot  be 
said  to  fear  God,  who  is  represented  by  him.  And  hence, 
likewise,  it  is,  that  God  hath  been  as  strict  and  express  in  enjoin- 
ing us  obedience  to  our  governors,  as  to  himself:  for,  thus 
saith  the  Lord  of  hosts,  Rom.  xiii.  1.  Let  every  soul  be  sub- 
ject to  the  higher  powers.  Why  ?  because  there  is  no  power 
but  of  God ;  the  powers  that  be  are  ordained  of  God. 

And  he  has  denounced  as  great  a  judgment  against  such  as 
rebel  against  the  magistrate  he  hath  ordained,  as  against  those 
that  rebel  against  himself:  for,  whosoever  resisteth  the  poiver, 
resisteth  the  ordinance  of  God ;  and  they  that  resist,  shall  re- 
ceive to  themselves  damnation,  ver.  2.  So  that  the  wrath  of 
God  shall  as  certainly  fall  upon  those  that  rise  up  against  the 
king,  as  upon  those  that  fight  against  God.  And  no  wonder 
that  the  punishment  should  be  the  same,  when  the  fault  is  the 
same  :  for  he  that  fights  against  the  king,  fights  against  God 
himself,  who  hath  invested  him  with  that  power  and  authority 
to  govern  his  people,  representing  his  own  glorious  majesty 
before  them. 

Upon  this  ground  it  is  that  I  believe  the  wickedness  of  a 
prince  cannot  be  a  sufficient  plea  for  the  disobedience  of  his 
subjects  ;  for  it  is  not  the  holiness,  but  the  authority  of  God 
that  he  represents,  which  the  most  wicked,  as  well  as  the  most 
holy,  person  may  be  endowed  with  :  and  therefore  when  the 
Gospel  first  began  to  spread  itself  over  the  earth,  though  there 
was  no  Christian  king,  or  supreme  magistrate^of  what  title 
soever,  to  cherish  and  protect  it  ;  nay,  though  the  civil  pow- 
ers were  then  the  greatest  enemies  to  it ;  yet  even  then  were 
the  disciples  of  Christ  enjoined  to  submit  themselves  to  every 
ordinance  of  man,  for  the  Lord's  sake. 

Insomuch  that  did  I  live  amongst  the  Turks,  I  should  look 
upon  it  as  my  duty  to  obey  the  Grand  Seignior,  in  all  his  law- 
ful edicts,  as  well  as  the  most  Christian  and  pious  king  in  the 
world.     For,  suppose  a  prince  be  never  so  wicked  and  never 


Resolutions.  1 39 

so  negligent  in  his  duty  of  protecting  me  ;  it  doth  not  follow, 
that  I  must  neglect  mine  of  obeying  him.  In  such  a  case,  I 
have  another  duty  added  to  this  ;  and  that  is,  to  pray  for  him  ; 
and  to  intercede  with  God  for  his  conversion  ;  for,  thus  hath 
the  King  of  kings  commanded,  that  prayers,  supplications, 
intercessions,  and  giving  of  thanks,  be  made  as  for  all  men, 
so,  more  especially,  for  kings,  and  those  that  are  in  authority ; 
that  we  may  live  a  quiet  and  peaceable  life,  in  all  godliness 
and  honesty,  1  Tim.  ii.  1,2.  So  that  whensoever  I  address 
to  the  court  of  heaven,  I  must  be  sure  to  remember  my  sove- 
reign on  earth,  that  God  would  be  pleased  to  enable  his  ser- 
vant to  reign  on  earth,  as  himself  doth  in  heaven,  in  righte- 
ousness and  mercy.  But  especially,  in  case  of  any  seeming  or 
real  default  or  defect,  though  I  do  not  think  it  a  subject's  duty 
to  judge  or  censure  his  sovereign's  actions,  I  am  to  be  the 
more  earnest  in  my  prayers  and  intercessions  for  him  ;  but 
upon  no  account  to  fight  or  rebel  against  him. 

And,  if  I  am  thus  strictly  obliged  to  honour,  obey,  and 
pray  for,  a  bad  prince,  how  much  more  should  I  pay  those 
duties  to  one,  who  represents  God,  not  only  in  his  authority, 
but  in  his  holiness  too  ?  In  this  case,  sure,  as  there  is  a  dou- 
ble engagement  to  reverence  and  obedience,  so  I  am  doubly 
punishable,  if  I  neglect  to  shew  it,  either  to  the  prince  him- 
self, or  those  that  are  set  under  him  ;  for  the  same  obligations 
that  lie  upon  me,  for  my  obedience  to  the  king,  bind  me  like- 
wise to  obey  his  inferior  officers  and  magistrates,  that  act  un- 
der him  ;  and  that  for  this  reason,  because,  as  he  represents 
God.  so  they  represent  him  ;  and,  therefore,  whatever  they 
command  in  his  name,  I  look  upon  it  as  much  my  duty  to  obey, 
as  if  it  was  commanded  by  his  own  mouth,  and  accordingly, 
do,  from  this  moment,  by  the  grace  of  God,  resolve  to  put  this 
duty  in  practice. 


RESOLUTION  II. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  same  divine  grace,  to  be  as  constant  in  lov- 
ing of  my  wife,  as  cautious  in  choosing  her. 

Though  it  be  not  necessary  for  me  to  resolve  upon  marry- 
ing, yet  it  may  not  be  improper  to  resolve,  in  case  I  should, 
to  follow  these  rules  of  duty  ;  first,  in  the  choice  of  a  wife  : 
and,  secondly,  in  the  affection  that  I  ought  to  bear  towards 
her. 


1 40  Resolutions. 

As  for  the  first,  I  shall  always  endeavour  to  make  choice  of 
such  a  woman  for  my  spouse,  who  hath  first  made  choice 
of  Christ  as  a  spouse  for  herself ;  that  none  may  be  made  one 
flesh  with  me,  who  is  not  made  one  spirit  with  Christ  my 
Saviour.  For  I  look  upon  the  image  of  Christ,  as  the  best 
mark  of  beauty  I  can  behold  in  her  ;  and  the  grace  of  God,  as 
the  best  portion  I  can  receive  with  her.  These  are  excellen- 
cies, which,  though  not  visible  to  our  carnal  eyes,  are  never- 
theless agreeable  to  a  spiritual  heart ;  and  such  as  all  wise  and 
good  men  cannot  choose  but  be  enamoured  with.  For  my 
own  part,  they  seem  to  me  such  necessary  qualifications,  that 
my  heart  trembles  at  the  thoughts  of  ever  having  a  wife  with- 
out them.  What  ?  Shall  I  marry  one  that  is  wedded  already 
to  her  sins  ?  or  have  possession  of  her  body  only,  when  the 
devil  has  possession  of  her  soul  ?  Shall  such  a  one  be  united 
to  me  here,  who  shall  be  separated  from  me  for  ever  hereafter, 
and  condemned  to  scorch  in  everlasting  burnings  ?  No  ;  if 
ever  it  be  my  lot  to  enter  into  that  state,  I  beg  of  God,  that  he 
would  direct  me  in  the  choice  of  such  a  wife  only,  to  lie  in  my 
bosom  here,  as  may  afterwards  be  admitted  to  rest  in  Abra- 
ham's bosom  to  all  eternity  ;  such  a  one,  as  will  so  live,  and 
pray,  and  converse  with  me  upon  earth,  that  we  may  both  be 
entitled  to  sing,  to  rejoice,  and  be  blessed  together,  forever, 
in  heaven. 

That  this  therefore  may  be  my  portion  and  felicity,  I  firmly 
resolve  never  to  set  upon  such  a  design,  before  I  have  first 
solicited  the  throne  of  grace,  and  begged  of  my  heavenly  Fa- 
ther to  honour  me  with  the  partnership  of  one  of  his  beloved 
children ;  and  shall  afterwards  be  as  careful  and  cautious  as  I 
can,  never  to  fix  my  affections  upon  any  woman  for  a  wife,  till 
I  am  thoroughly  persuaded  of  the  grounds  I  have  to  love  her, 
as  a  true  Christian. 

If  I  could  be  thus  happy,  as  to  meet  with  a  wife  of  these 
qualities  and  endowments,  it  would  be  impossible  for  me  not 
to  be  hearty  and  sincere  in  my  affection  toward  her,  even 
though  I  had  the  greatest  temptations  to  place  them  upon  an- 
other :  for,  how  could  I  choose  but  love  her,  who  has  God  for 
her  father,  the  church  for  her  mother,  and  heaven  for  her  por- 
tion ;  who  loves  God,  and  is  beloved  of  him  ?  Especially,  when 
I  consider,  that  thus  to  love  her,  will  not  only  be  my  duty  but 
my  happiness  too. 

As  to  the  duty,  it  is  frequently  inculcated  in  Scripture,  that 
husbands  should  love  their  wives,  and  that  not  with  a  common 
love,  but  as  Christ  loved  his  church,  Eph.  v.  25.  yea,  as  their 
oum  body,  ver.  28.  or,  as  themselves,  ver.  33.  and  they  are  so 


Resolutions.  141 

to  love  them,  as  not  to  be  bitter  against  them.  Col.  iii.  19.  not 
to  be  passionate  or  angry  with  them,  upon  every  light  matter, 
nor  suffer  their  resentments  to  rise  to  that  height,  upon  any 
occasions  whatsoever,  as  to  abate  the  least  spark  of  conjugal 
affection  towards  them,  but  to  nourish  and  cherish  them,  even 
as  the  Lord  the  church.  In  a  word,  to  do  all  the  kind  offices 
they  can  for  them,  in  their  civil  capacities,  and  to  help  and  for- 
ward them,  by  all  means  possible,  in  the  way  that  leads  to 
heaven  ;  that  as  they  are  united  in  the  flesh,  so  they  may  like- 
wise be  united  in  the  Spirit,  and  raised  and  rewarded  together, 
at  the  general  resurrection. 

And,  as  love  is  the  great  duty,  so  is  it  likewise  the  chief  hap- 
piness of  a  married  state.  I  do  not  mean  that  love  whereby 
she  loves  me,  but  that  wherewith  I  love  her  ;  for,  if  I  myself 
have  not  a  cordial  esteem  and  affection  for  her,  what  happiness 
will  it  be  to  me  to  be  beloved  by  her  ?  or  rather,  what  a  mi- 
sery would  it  be  to  be  forced  to  live  with  one  I  know  I  cannot 
love  ?  As  ever,  therefore,  I  desire  to  be  happy,  I  must  perform 
my  duty  in  this  particular,  and  never  aim  at  any  other  end  in 
the  choice  of  a  wife,  or  expect  any  other  happiness  in  the  en- 
joyment of  her,  but  what  is  founded  in  the  principle  of  pure 
and  inviolable  love.  If  I  should  court  and  marry  a  Woman  for 
riches,  then,  whenever  they  fail,  or  take  their  flight,  my  love 
and  my  happiness  must  drop  and  vanish  together  with  them. 
If  I  choose  her  for  beauty  only,  I  shall  love  her  no  longer  than 
while  that  continues,  which  is  only  till  age  or  sickness  blasts 
it,  and  then  farewell  at  once  both  duty  and  delight. 

But  if  I  love  her  for  her  virtues,  and  for  the  sake  of  God, 
who  has  enjoined  it  as  a  duty,  that  our  affections  should  not 
be  alienated  or  separated  by  any  thing  but  death  ;  then,  though 
all  the  other  sandy  foundations  fail,  yet  will  my  happiness  re- 
main entire,  even  though  I  should  not  perceive  those  mutual 
returns  of  love,  which  are  due  to  me  from  her  upon  the  same 
bottom.  But  oh  !  the  happiness  of  that  couple,  whose  inclina- 
tions to  each  other  are  as  mutual  as  their  duties  ;  whose  af- 
fections as  well  as  persons  are  linked  together  with  the  same 
tie !  This  is  the  chief  condition  required  to  make  the  state  of 
matrimony  happy  or  desirable,  and  shall  be  the  chief  motive 
with  me  to  induce  me  to  enter  into  it.  For  though  it  be  no 
happiness  to  be  beloved  by  one  I  do  not  love,  yet  it  is  certainly 
a  very  great  one  to  be  beloved  by  one  I  do.  If  this  then  be 
my  lot,  to  have  mutual  expressions  of  love  from  the  person  I 
fix  my  affections  upon,  what  joy  and  comfort  will  it  raise  in 
my  heart  ?  With  what  peace  and  amity  shall  we  live  together 
here  ?  and  what  glory  and  felicity  may  we  not  promise  our- 
selves hereafter? 


142  Resolutions. 

What  is  said  here  of  the  duty  in  choosing  and  loving  of  a 
wife,  may  be  likewise  applied  to  the  woman's  duty  in  choosing 
and  loving  her  husband.  But  being  not  so  immediately  con- 
cerned in  this,  I  pass  on  to  my  next  resolution. 


RESOLUTION  III. 

J  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  my  endeavour  to  give 
to  God  whatsoever  children  he  shall  be  pleased  to  give  to  me ; 
that  as  they  are  mine  by  nature,  they  may  be  his  by  grace. 

I  have  sometimes  wondered  at  the  providence  of  God,  in 
bringing  so  many  millions  of  people  out  of  the  loins  of  one 
man ;  and  cannot  but  make  this  use  of  it,  even  to  stir  up  my- 
self to  a  double  diligence,  in  bringing  up  my  children  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord.  For,  who  knows,  but  the 
salvation  of  ten  thousand  souls  may  depend  upon  the  education 
of  one  single  child  ? 

If  I  train  up  my  son  in  the  ways  of  religion,  and  teach  him 
what  it  is  to  keep  a  conscience  void  of  offence  towards  God,  and 
towards  man ;  he  will  then  not  only  have  an  inward  sense  of 
his  own  duty,  but  take  all  possible  care  to  instil  it  into  others, 
whether  children  or  servants,  that  are  committed  to  his  charge: 
and  these,  again,  will  do  the  same  to  theirs,  by  teaching  them 
to  walk  in  the  same  path ;  till,  by  degrees,  the  piety  and  holi- 
ness of  one  man  has  diffused  itself  to  all  succeeding  genera- 
tions. But  now,  on  the  other  hand,  if  I  neglect  the  care  of 
my  son's  education,  and  suffer  the  leprosy  of  sin  and  wicked- 
ness to  taint  and  corrupt  him,  it  is  great  odds,  without  an  ex- 
traordinary interposition  of  divine  grace,  but  the  infection  may 
spread  itself  over  all  my  posterity  ;  and  so  draw  down  upon 
me  the  curses  and  accusations  of  ten  thousand  souls  in  hell, 
which  might  otherwise  have  been  praising  and  blessing  God 
for  me  to  all  eternity  in  heaven. 

Hence  it  is  that  I  am  resolved  to  endeavour  to  be  a  spiritual 
as  well  as  a  natural  father  to  my  children  ;  yea,  to  take  more 
care  to  get  a  portion  for  their  souls  in  heaven,  than  to  make 
provision  for  their  bodies  upon  earth.  For,  if  he  be  accounted 
worse  than  an  infidel,  that  provides  not  for  his  family  the  suste- 
nance of  their  bodies  ;  what  is  he  that  suffers  his  family  to 
neglect  the  salvation  of  their  souls  ? 

That  nothing  of  this,  therefore,  may  be  laid  to  my  charge,  if 
ever  Providence  sees  fit  to  bless  me  with  children  of  my  own, 


Resolutions.  1 43 

I  will  take  effectual  care,  so  soon  as  conveniently  I  can,  to  de- 
vote them  unto  God  by  baptism,  that  what  guilt  they  have  con- 
tracted, by  coming  through  my  loins,  may  be  washed  away  by 
the  laver  of  regeneration  ;  and  then  to  be  constantly  soliciting 
the  throne  of  grace,  that  he  who  hath  given  them  to  me,  would 
be  pleased  to  give  himself  to  them. 

The  next  thing  to  be  done,  as  soon  as  they  come  to  be  ca- 
pable of  instruction,  is,  to  take  all  occasions,  and  make  use  of 
all  means,  to  work  the  knowledge  of  God  into  their  heads,  and 
the  grace  of  Christ  into  their  hearts  ;  by  teaching  them  to 
remember  their  Creator  in  the  days  of  their  youth ;  by  ac- 
quainting them  with  the  duties  that  he  that  made  them  ex- 
pects from  them  ;  with  the  rewards  they  shall  have,  if  dutiful, 
and  the  punishments  they  shall  feel,  if  disobedient,  children ; 
still  accommodating  my  expressions  to  the  shallow  capacity  of 
their  tender  years.  And,  according  to  their  doing,  or  not  do- 
ing, of  what  they  have  been  told,  I  shall  reward  them  with 
what  is  most  pleasing,  or  punish  them  with  what  is  most  dis- 
pleasing, to  their  years.  To  speak  to  them  of  heaven,  and 
eternal  glory,  will  not  encourage  them  so  much,  as  to  give 
them  their  childish  pleasures  and  desires  ;  and  the  denouncing 
of  a  future  hell  will  not  affright  them  so  much,  as  the  inflict- 
ing a  present  smart.  Hence  it  is,  that  Solomon  so  oft  incul- 
cates this  upon  parents,  as  their  duty  to  their  children,  that 
they  should  not  spare  the  rod,  lest  they  spoil  the  child. 

But  I  must  still  take  care  to  let  them  understand,  that  what 
I  do  is  from  a  principle  of  love  and  affection  to  them,  not  of 
firv  and  indignation  against  them.  For,  by  this  means,  God 
may  correct  me  for  correcting  them  ;  I  may  set  before  my 
children  such  an  example  of  indiscreet  and  sinful  passion,  as 
they  will  be  apt  enough  to  learn,  without  my  teaching  them. 
On  the  other  hand,  it  behoves  me,  if  possible,  so  to  order  my 
family,  that  my  children  may  not  see  or  hear,  and  so  not  learn, 
any  thing  but  goodness  in  it ;  for  commonly,  according  to  what 
we  learn  when  we  are  young,  we  practise  when  we  are  old. 
And,  therefore,  as  I  shall  take  great  care  that  my  children  learn 
nothing  that  is  evil  or  sinful  at  home,  so  likewise,  that  they  do 
not  come  into  such  company  abroad,  where  their  innocence 
may  be  assaulted  with  swearing,  cursing,  or  any  kind  of  pro- 
fane or  obscene  discourse,  which  the  generality  of  our  youth 
are  so  obnoxious  to. 

Or,  at  least,  if  this  is  not  wholly  to  be  avoided,  to  prevent 
these  poisonous  weeds  from  taking  root  in  the  heart,  it  be- 
hoves me  to  take  all  opportunities  of  discoursing  to  them  of 
God  and  Christ,  of  the  immortality  of  their  souls,  and  the  fu- 


144  Resolutions. 

ture  state  they  are  to  be  doomed  to  in  another  world,  when 
they  have  lived  a  little  while  in  this  ;  that,  according  as  they 
grow  in  years,  they  may  grow  in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge 
of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Christ.  And  when  they  come  to 
years  of  discretion,  capable  of  doing  farther  honour  and  ser- 
vice to  God  and  their  country,  by  some  calling  or  profession, 
I  must  be  sure  to  place  them  in  such  a  one,  as  may  be  no  hin- 
drance to  that  high  and  heavenly  calling,  which  they  have  in 
Christ  Jesus,  but  rather  contribute  to  further  and  promote  it ; 
that  being,  like  tender  plants,  ingrafted  into  the  true  vine,  they 
may  bring  forth  much  fruit  to  God's  glory,  to  my  comfort,  and 
their  own  salvation. 


RESOLUTION  IV. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  do  my  duty  to  my  ser- 
vants, as  well  as  expect  they  should  do  theirs  to  me. 

It  was  Joshua's,  and,  by  God's  grace,  it  shall  be  my  reso- 
lution, that  /  and  my  house  will  serve  the  Lord.  I,  in  the  first 
place,  and  then  my  house  ;  for  if  I  myself  do  not,  I  cannot 
expect  that  they  should.  So  that,  for  the  ordering  of  my  family 
in  general,  I  must  not  only  press  their  duty  upon  them,  but 
likewise  practise  my  own  duty,  in  suppressing  all  vicious  and 
lewd  conversation,  and  composing  all  strife  and  contention 
amongst  them ;  in  praying  every  day,  at  the  least,  twice  with 
them  ;  in  catechizing  and  expounding  the  principles  of  reli- 
gion to  them,  and  in  calling  for  an  account  of  every  sermon 
and  godly  discourse  they  hear,  either  in  private  or  in  public  ; 
in  seeing  that  they  constantly  frequent  the  divine  ordinances, 
and  that  they  behave  themselves  so  conscientiously  therein, 
that  they  may  be,  some  way  or  other,  the  better  by  them.  And 
to  these  ends,  I  think  it  my  duty  to  allow  my  servants  some 
time,  every  day,  wherein  to  serve  God,  as  well  as  to  see  they 
spend  their  other  hours  in  serving  me  ;  and  to  make  them  sen- 
sible, that  they  do  not  serve  me  only  for  myself,  but  ultimately 
and  principally  in  reference  unto  God ;  their  serving  me  mak- 
ing way  for  my  better  serving  God. 

And,  for  this  reason,  I  cannot  believe  but  it  is  as  great  a  sin 
to  cumber  my  servants,  as  myself,  with  too  much  worldly  busi- 
ness. For,  how  can  they  spend  any  time  in  the  service  of  God, 
when  I  require  all  their  time  in  my  own  ?  And,  how  justly 
should  I  be  condemned,  if,  by  this  means,  I  should  bring  them 


Resolutions.  145 

into  a  sort  of  necessity  of  sinning,  either  in  not  obeying  God, 
or  not  obeying  me.  Not  that  I  think  it  a  servant's  duty,  to 
neglect  his  Creator  to  serve  his  master  ;  on  the  contrary,  he 
is  obliged,  in  all  cases,  where  their  commands  interfere,  to 
obey  God  rather  than  man.  But  where  they  do  not,  there  is  a 
strict  injunction  upon  all  servants,  that  they  should  be  obedient 
to  their  masters  according  to  the  flesh,  with  fear  and  trembling, 
in  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  Christ,  Eph.  vi.  5.  But  how 
with  fear  and  trembling  ?  Why,  fearing  lest  they  should  offend 
God,  in  offending  them,  and  trembling  at  the  thoughts  of  being 
disobedient  to  the  divine  command,  which  enjoins  them  to  be 
obedient  to  their  masters  in  all  things,  not  answering  again,  Tit. 
ii.  9.  that  is,  not  repining  at  their  master's  lawful  commands, 
nor  muttering  and  maundering  against  them  as  some  are  apt  to 
do.  For  it  is  as  great  a  sin  in  servants  to  speak  irreverently 
to  their  masters,  as  in  masters  to  speak  passionately  to  their 
servants. 

But  how  are  servants  to  give  obedience  to  their  masters, 
with  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  Christ?  Why,  by  obeying 
them  only  in  obedience  unto  Christ ;  that  is,  they  are  there- 
fore to  do  their  master's  will,  because  it  is  the  Lord's  will  they 
should  do  it ;  serving  them,  not  with  eye-service,  as  men  ^leas- 
ers, but  as  the  servants  of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from 
the  heart ;  with  good-will  doing  service,  as  to  the  Lord,  and  not 
to  men,  Eph.  vi.  6,  7.  Col.  iii.  22.  This  is  the  duty  therefore 
that  I  shall  be  oft  inculcating  upon  my  servants,  and  shall  as 
oft  be  reflecting  upon  myself,  that  what  I  require  for  my  own 
service  may  be  always  in  subordination  to  God's,  who  is  our 
common  Lord  and  Master,  whose  laws  are  equally  obliging  to 
all  ranks  and  conditions  of  men,  and  in  whose  sight  there  is  no 
respect  of  persons. 


RESOLUTION  V. 

J  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  feed  the  flock,  that  God 
shall  set  me  over,  with  wholesome  food,  neither  starving  them 
by  idleness,  poisoning  them  with  error,  nor  puffing  them  up 
with  impertinencies. 

And  here  I  cannot  but  declare,  that  ever  since  I  knew  what 
it  was  to  study,  I  have  found,  by  experience,  that  spiritual  and 
intellectual  pleasures  do  as  far  surpass  those  that  are  temporal 
and  sensual,  as  the  soul  exceeds  the  body.  And  for  this  reason, 

N 


146  Resolutions. 

as  I  always  thought  the  study  and  profession  of  divinity  to  be 
the  noblest  and  most  agreeable  of  all  others,  as  carrying  with 
it  its  own  encouragement  and  reward  ;  so  I  have  often  won- 
dered with  myself,  that  the  greatest  persons  in  the  world  should 
not  be  desirous  and  ambitious  of  exercising  their  parts  in  the   I 
study  of  this  necessary,  as  well  as  sublime,  science,  and  even    ! 
devoting  themselves  to  the  profession  of  it.     For  do  they  as- 
pire after  honour  ?   What  greater  honour  can  there  be  than  to 
be  the  mouth  of  God  to  the  people,  and  of  the  people  unto 
God  ;  to  have  the  Most  High  himself  not  only  to  speak  by 
them,  but  in  them  too  ?  What  greater  honour,  than  to  have  a 
commission  from  the  King  of  kings,  to  represent  himself  be- 
fore his  people,  and  call  upon  them,  in  his  name,  to  turn  from 
the  error  of  their  ways,  and  walk  in  the  paths  of  God  to  ever- 
lasting glory  ?  What  greater  honour,  than  to  be  an  instrument, 
in  his  hand,  to  bring  poor  souls  from  the  gates  of  hell,  to  set 
them  among  princes  in  the  court  of  heaven  ?  Do  they  thirst 
after  pleasures  ?  What  greater  pleasure  can  they  have,  than  to 
make  it  their  business  to  feed  themselves  and  others  with  the 
bread  and  water  of  life  ? 

But  stay,  my  soul,  let  not  thy  thoughts  run  only  upon  the 
dignity  of  thy  function,  and  the  spiritual  pleasures  that  attend 
the  faithful  discharge  of  it ;  but  think,  likewise,  upon  the  strict 
account  thou  must  give  of  it  in  another  life :  the  serious  con- 
sideration of  which,  as  it  cannot  but  be  a  great  comfort  to  the 
true  and  faithful  pastor,  who  has  diligently  fed  his  flock  with 
the  sincere  milk  of  God's  word ;  so  must  it  be  a  great  terror 
and  confusion  to  the  slothful  and  negligent,  the  false  and  de- 
ceitful dispensers  of  the  divine  mysteries,  who  have  either 
carelessly  lost,  or  treacherously  deluded,  the  souls  of  those 
committed  to  their  charge,  which  they  must  one  day  answer 
for,  as  well  as  for  their  own.  And  therefore,  that  nothing  of 
this  kind  may  ever  be  laid  to  my  charge,  I  solemnly  promise 
and  resolve,  before  God,  so  to  demean  myself  in  the  exercise 
of  my  ministerial  function,  as  to  make  the  care  of  souls,  es- 
pecially of  those  committed  to  my  charge,  the  chief  study  and 
business  of  my  life. 

And  that  without  partiality  or  exception,  I  must  not  single 
out  some  of  the  best  of  my  flock,  such  as  I  have  the  highest 
respect  for,  or  have  received  the  greatest  obligations  from ; 
but  minister  to  every  one  according  to  their  several  necessities. 
If  I  meet  with  men  of  knowledge  and  virtue,  my  business  must 
be  to  confirm  and  establish  them  therein  ;  if  with  those  that 
are  ignorant  and  immoral,  to  teach  and  instruct  them  in  the 
ways  of  religion,  and,  by  all  means  possible,  to  reclaim  and 


Resolutions.  147 

reduce  them  to  the  exercise  of  their  duty,  always  remembering, 
that  as  the  blessed  Jesus,  the  great  Shepherd  and  Bishop  of  our 
souls,  was  not  sent,  save  unto  the  lost  sheep  of  the  house  of 
Israel ;  and  came  not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repent- 
ance ;  so  it  is  the  indispensable  duty  of  his  apostles  and  minis- 
ters (and,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  shall  make  it  mine)  to  follow 
his  example  in  this  particular  ;  to  spare  no  time  nor  pains  in 
the  reformation  of  sinners,  though  it  be  never  so  irksome  and 
difficult  to  accomplish,  even  though  I  should  meet  with  such 
as  the  prophet  David  speaks  of,  who  hate  to  be  reformed,  and 
cast  my  words  behind  them.  And  therefore,  as  I  know  it  is  my 
duty,  so  I  shall  always  endeavour  to  take  pleasure  in  the  seve- 
ral offices  I  perform  of  this  kind,  to  strengthen  the  weak,  heal 
the  wounded,  and  bind  up  the  broken  heart;  to  call  in  those  that 
err  and  go  astray,  and  to  seek  and  save  those  that  are  lost. 

To  these  ends,  though  preaching  is,  without  doubt,  a  most 
excellent  and  useful,  as  well  as  necessary  duty,  (especially  if  it 
be  performed,  as  it  ought,  with  zeal  and  reverence,  and  the 
doctrine  applied  and  pressed  home  with  sincerity  of  affection,) 
yet  I  shall  not  think  it  sufficient  to  instruct  my  people  only 
from  the  pulpit,  but  take  all  opportunities  to  instil  good  thoughts 
and  principles  into  their  minds  in  my  private  conversation.  I 
know  it  is  impossible  for  all  ministers  frequently  to  visit  every 
particular  person  or  family  in  their  parish,  there  being  in  some 
parishes,  especially  in  and  about  London,  so  many  thousands 
of  souls :  but,  howsoever,  if  it  should  please  the  Lord  to  call 
me  to  such  a  flock,  though  I  cannot  visit  all,  I  shall  visit  as 
many  as  I  can  ;  especially  those  that  are  sick  and  infirm,  and 
be  sure  to  feed  them  with  the  sincere  milk  of  the  word,  such  as 
may  turn  to  their  spiritual  nourishment,  and  make  them  grow 
in  grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ.  I  will  not  fill  their  heads  with  speculative  notions  and 
niceties  in  divinity  ;  (which  among  the  less  judicious,  are  very 
often  the  occasion  of  heresy  and  error,  and  sometimes  also  of 
delusion  and  distraction  ;)  but  my  chief  care  shall  be  to  instruct 
them  in  those  necessary  truths,  which  their  Christian  faith  in- 
dispensably obliges  them  to  know  and  believe,  and  press  them 
to  the  performance  of  those  duties,  without  which  they  cannot 
be  saved  ;  meekly  and  impartially  reproving  the  particular 
vices  they  are  most  inclined  and  addicted  to,  and  cheerfully 
encouraging  and  improving  whatever  virtuous  actions  they  are 
any  of  them  exemplary  in,  and  whatever  good  habits  or  incli- 
nations the  divine  grace  has  put  into  their  hearts. 

And  since  love  and  charity  is  the  great  characteristic  of  our 
profession,  the  bond  and  cement  of  all  other  Christian  duties, 


148  Resolutions. 

in  order  to  make  my  ministry  the  more  successful,  I  resolve, 
in  the  last  place,  not  only  to  avoid  all  differences  and  disputes 
with  them  myself,  but  amicably  to  compose  all  such  as  may 
arise  among  the  neighbours.  In  a  word,  I  shall  make  it  my 
endeavour,  in  all  things,  so  to  approve  myself  as  a  faithful  min- 
ister, both  in  life  and  doctrine,  before  them,  that,  at  the  last 
day,  when  the  great  God  shall  call  for  my  parish,  and  myself 
to  appear  before  him,  I  may  be  fitly  prepared  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  both  ;  at  least  to  answer  for  as  many  of  them  as  he 
requires  ;  and  may,  with  joy  and  comfort,  pronounce  this  sen- 
tence of  my  Saviour,  if  it  may,  without  offence,  be  applied  to 
his  ministers,  Behold,  land  the  children  which  thou  hast  given 
me. 


RESOLUTION  VI. 

I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  be  as  faithful  and  con- 
stant to  my  friend,  as  I  would  have  my  friend  to  be  faithful 
and  constant  to  me. 

Having  before  resolved  to  be  zealous  in  loving  God,  I  here 
resolve  to  be  as  constant  in  loving  my  friend.  But  why  do  I 
resolve  upon  this  ?  Is  it  possible  to  live,  and  not  to  love  ?  this 
to  me  seems  as  plain  a  contradiction,  as  to  live,  and  not  to  live. 
For  love,  in  my  opinion,  is  as  much  the  life  of  the  soul,  as  the 
soul  is  the  life  of  the  body.  So  that,  for  my  own  part,  I  shall 
expect  to  cease  to  live,  at  the  very  moment  that  I  cease  to  love  ; 
nay,  I  do  not  look  upon  love  only  as  my  life,  but  as  the  joy 
and  comfort  of  it  too.  And,  for  this  reason,  I  shall  never  envy 
any  man  his  riches,  pleasures,  Or  preferments,  provided  that 
I  can  but  enjoy  the  persons  my  soul  delights  in,  viz.  Christ  in 
the  first  place,  and  my  friend  and  neighbour  in  the  second. 

But  then  I  must  have  a  great  care  where,  and  how,  I  place 
this  affection  ;  for  if  I  place  it  wrong,  my  very  loving  will  be 
sinning.  And  therefore  I  shall  always  endeavour  to  make 
such  only  my  friends,  as  are  friends  to  God.  Not  that  I  look 
upon  it  as  necessary  to  love  my  friends  always  under  that 
notion  only,  as  they  are  friends  of  God  ;  for  then,  no  love 
but  that  which  is  spiritual  would  be  lawful  ;  whereas,  there  is 
doubtless,  a  natural  love,  that  is  no  less  a  duty,  and,  by  con- 
sequence, no  less  lawful,  than  the  other ;  as  the  love  of  pa- 
rents towards  their  children,  and  children  towards  their  parents  ; 
and  the  mutual  complacency  that  arises  betwixt  friends,  as 


Resolutions.  149 

well  as  relations,  from  the  harmony  and  agreement  of  humours 
and  tempers.  Thas  our  Saviour  is  said  to  have  loved  St.  John 
more  than  any  of  his  other  disciples,  which  cannot  be  under- 
stood of  a  spiritual  love  ;  for  this,  undoubtedly,  was  equal  to 
all ;  but  being  a  man  subject  to  the  like  passions  (though  not 
imperfections)  as  we  are,  he  placed  more  natural  affection 
upon,  and  might  have  more  natural  complacency  in,  John, 
than  in  his  other  disciples. 

And,  therefore,  when  I  say,  I  am  to  make  such  my  friends 
only  as  are  friends  to  God,  my  meaning  is,  that  I  will  make 
none  my  friends,  but  such  as  I  know  to  be  good  men  and  good 
Christians,  such  as  deserve  my  love  in  a  spiritual,  as  well  as  a 
natural  sense  ;  and  since  I  may  lawfully  love  my  friend  in  both 
these  senses,  the  one  is  so  fir  from  being  exclusive,  that  is  is 
really  perfective  of  the  other.  And  for  this  reason,  as  the 
spiritual  good  of  my  friend  is  always  to  be  preferred  before 
that  which  is  temporal,  I  am  resolved  to  found  the  one  upon 
the  other.  I  will  always  be  ready,  as  oft  as  he  stands  in  need, 
either  for  my  advice,  encouragement,  or  assistance,  to  do  him 
all  the  kind  offices  I  can  in  his  worldly  affairs,  to  promote  his 
interest,  vindicate  his  character  from  secret  aspersions,  and 
defend  his  person  from  open  assaults  ;  to  be  faithful  and  punc- 
tual in  the  performance  of  my  promises  to  him,  as  well  as  in 
keeping  the  secrets  he  has  entrusted  me  with.  But  all  these 
tilings  are  to  be  done  with  a  tender  regard  to  the  honour  of 
God,  and  the  duties  of  religion  ;  so  that  the  services  I  do  him 
in  his  temporal  concerns  must  still  be  consistent  with,  and  sub- 
servient to,  the  spiritual  interest  and  welfare  of  his  immortal 
soul,  in  which  T  am  principally  obliged  to  manifest  my  friend- 
ship towards  him.  If  I  see  him  wander  out  of  the  right  way, 
1  must  immediately  take  care  to  advertise  him  of  it,  and  use 
the  best  means  I  can  to  bring  him  back  to  it  :  or  if  I  know 
him  to  be  guilty  of  any  reigning  vices,  I  must  endeavour  to 
convince  him  of  the  danger  and  malignity  of  them,  and  impor- 
tune and  persuade  him  to  amend  and  forsake  them.  And  lastly, 
I  must  be  as  constant  in  keeping  my  friend,  as  cautious  in 
choosing  him  ;  still  continuing  the  heat  of  my  affections  to- 
wards him  in  the  day  of  his  affliction,  as  well  as  in  the  height 
of  his  prosperity. 

These  are  the  rules  whereby  I  resolve  to  express  my  friend- 
ship unto  others,  and  whereby  I  would  have  others  to  express 
their  friendship  unto  me. 

N  2 


1 50  Resolutions. 


CONCERNING  MY  TALENTS. 

Having  so  solemnly  devoted  myself  to  God,  according  to 
the  covenant  he  hath  made  with  me,  and  the  duty  I  owe  to 
him  ;  not  only  what  I  am,  and  what  I  do,  but  likewise  what  I 
have,  is  still  to  be  improved  for  him.  And  this  I  am  bound  to, 
not  only  upon  a  federal,  but  even  a  natural  account ,  for  what- 
soever I  have,  I  received  from  him,  and  therefore  all  the  rea- 
son in  the  world,  whatsoever  I  have,  should  be  improved  for 
him.  For  I  look  upon  myself  as  having  no  other  property  in 
what  I  enjoy,  than  a  servant  hath  in  what  he  is  entrusted  with 
to  improve  for  his  master's  use.  Thus,  though  I  should  have 
ten  thousand  pounds  a  year,  I  should  have  no  more  of  my  own 
than  if  I  had  but  two-pence  in  all  the  world  ;  for  it  is  only 
committed  to  my  care  for  a  season,  to  be  employed  and  im- 
proved to  the  best  advantage,  and  will  be  called  for  again  at 
the  grand  audit,  when  I  must  answer  for  the  use  or  abuse  of 
it ;  so  that  whatsoever,  in  a  civil  sense,  I  can  call  my  own, 
that,  in  a  spiritual  sense,  I  must  esteem  as  God's.  And,  there- 
fore, it  nearly  concerns  me  to  manage  all  the  talents  I  am 
entrusted  with,  as  things  I  must  give  a  strict  account  for  at  the 
day  of  judgment.  As  God  bestows  his  mercies  upon  me, 
through  the  greatness  of  his  love  and  affection,  so  I  am  to  re- 
store his  mercies  back  again  to  him,  by  the  holiness  of  my  life 
and  conversation.  In  a  word,  whatever  I  receive  from  his 
bounty,  I  must,  some  way  or  other,  lay  out  for  his  glory,  ac- 
counting nothing  mine  own,  any  farther  than  as  I  improve  it 
for  God's  sake,  and  the  spiritual  comfort  of  my  own  soul. 

In  order  to  this,  I  shall  make  it  my  endeavour,  by  the  bless- 
ing of  God,  to  put  in  practice  the  following  Resolutions. 


RESOLUTION  I. 

/  am  resolved,  if  possible,  to  redeem  my  time  past,  by  using  a 
double  diligence  for  the  future,  to  employ  and  improve  all  the 
gifts  and  endowments,  both  of  body  and  mind,  to  the  glory 
and  service  of  my  great  Creator. 

Time,  health,  and  parts,  are  three  precious  talents,  generally 
bestowed  upon  men,  but  seldom  improved  for  God.     To  go 


Resolutions.  1 5  * 

no  farther  than  myself;  how  much  time  and  health  have  I  en- 
joyed by  God's  grace  ?  and  how  little  of  it  have  I  laid  out  for 
his  honour  ?  On  the  contrary,  how  oft  have  I  offended,  affronted, 
and  provoked  him,  even  when  he  has  been  courting  me  with 
his  favours,  and  daily  pouring  forth  his  benefits  upon  me  ? 
This,  alas  !  is  a  sad  truth,  which  whensoever  I  seriously  reflect 
upon,  I  cannot  but  acknowledge  the  continuance  of  my  life  as 
the  greatest  instance  of  God's  mercy  and  goodness,  as  well  as 
the  greatest  motive  to  my  gratitude  and  obedience.  In  a  due 
sense,  therefore,  of  the  vanities  and  follies  of  my  younger  years, 
I  desire  to  take  shame  to  myself  for  what  is  past,  and  do,  this 
morning,  humbly  prostrate  myself  before  the  throne  of  grace, 
to  implore  God's  pardon,  and  to  make  solemn  promises  and 
resolutions,  for  the  future,  to  cast  off  the  works  of  darkness, 
and  to  put  on  the  armour  of  light ;  and  not  only  so,  but  to  re- 
deem the  precious  minutes  I  have  squandered  away,  by  hus- 
banding those  that  remain  to  the  best  advantage.  I  will  not 
trifle  and  sin  away  my  time  in  the  pleasures  of  sense,  or  the 
impertinencies  of  business,  but  shall  always  employ  it  in  things 
that  are  necessary  and  useful,  and  proportion  it  to  the  weight 
and  importance  of  the  work  or  business  I  engage  myself  in  ; 
allotting  such  a  part  of  it  for  this  business,  and  such  a  part  for 
that,  so  as  to  leave  no  intervals  for  unlawful  or  unnecessary 
actions  to  thrust  themselves  in,  and  pollute  my  life  and  con- 
versation. 

For,  since  it  has  pleased  God  to  favour  me  with  the  blessing 
of  health,  and  I  am  not  certain  how  soon  I  may  be  deprived  of 
it,  and  thrown  upon  a  bed  of  sickness,  which  may  deprive  me 
of  the  use  of  my  reason,  or  make  me  incapable  of  any  thing 
else  but  grappling  with  my  distemper ;  it  highly  concerns  me 
to  make  a  due  use  of  this  blessing,  while  I  have  it ;  to  improve 
these  parts  and  gifts  that  God  has  endowed  me  with  to  the 
manifestation  of  his  glory,  the  salvation  of  my  soul,  and  the 
public  good  of  the  community  whereof  I  am  a  member. 

To  these  ends,  it  will  be  requisite  for  me  frequently  to  con- 
sider with  myself,  which  way  my  weak  parts  may  be  the  most 
usefully  employed,  and  to  bend  them  to  those  studies  or  ac- 
tions, which  they  are  naturally  the  most  inclined  to  and  delight- 
ed in,  with  the  utmost  vigour  and  application ;  more  particu- 
larly, in  spiritual  matters,  to  make  use  of  all  opportunities  for 
the  convincing  others  of  God's  love  to  them,  and  their  sins 
against  God,  of  their  misery  by  nature,  and  happiness  by  Christ  ; 
and  when  the  truth  of  God  happens  to  be  any  ways  traduced  or 
opposed,  to  be  as  valiant  in  the  defence  of  it,  as  its  enemies 


152  Resolutions. 

are  violent  in  their  assaults  against  it.  And  as  I  thus  resolve 
to  employ  my  inward  gifts  and  faculties  for  the  glory  and  ser- 
vice of  God  ;  so, 


RESOLUTION  II. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  divine  grace,  to  employ  my  riches,  the  out- 
ward blessings  of  Providence,  to  the  same  end ;  and  to  ob- 
serve such  a  due  medium  in  the  dispensing  of  them,  as  to  avoid 
prodigality  on  the  one  hand,  and  covetousness  on  the  other. 

This,  without  doubt,  is  a  necessary  resolution,  but  is  like- 
wise very  difficult  to  put  in  practice,  without  a  careful  observ- 
ance of  the  following  rules. 

First,  never  to  lavish  cut  my  substance,  like  the  prodigal,  in 
the  revels  of  sin  and  vanity,  but,  after  a  due  provision  for  the 
necessities  and  conveniences  of  life,  to  lay  up  the  overplus  for 
the  acts  of  love  and  charity  toward  my  indigent  brethren.  I 
must  consider  the  uses  and  ends  for  which  God  has  entrusted 
me  with  such  and  such  possessions ;  that  they  were  not  given 
me  for  the  pampering  my  body,  the  feeding  my  lusts,  or  puffing 
me  up  with  pride  and  ambition  ;  but  for  advancing  his  glory 
and  my  own,  and  the  public  good.  But  why  do  I  say  given? 
when,  as  I  before  observed,  I  have  no  propriety  in  the  riches  I 
possess  ;  they  are  only  lent  me  for  a  few  years,  to  be  dispensed 
and  distributed  as  my  great  Lord  and  Master  sees  fit  to  ap- 
point, viz.  for  the  benefit  of  the  poor  and  necessitous,  which 
he  has  made  his  deputies,  to  call  for  and  receive  his  money  at 
my  hands.  And  this,  indeed,  is  the  best  use  I  can  put  it  to, 
for  my  own  advantage  as  well  as  theirs  :  for  the  money  I  be- 
stow upon  the  poor  I  give  to  God  to  lay  up  for  me,  and  I  have 
his  infallible  word  and  promise  for  it,  that  it  shall  be  paid  me 
again,  with  unlimited  interest,  out  of  his  heavenly  treasure, 
which  is  infinite,  eternal,  and  inexhaustible.  Hence  it  is,  that 
whensoever  I  see  any  fit  object  of  charity,  methinks  I  hear  the 
Most  High  say  unto  me,  Give  this  poor  brother  so  much  of  my 
stock  which  thou  hast  in  thy  hand,  and  I  will  place  it  to  thy 
account,  as  given  to  myself;  and,  Look  what  thou  layest  out, 
and  it  shall  be  paid  thee  again. 

The  second  rule  is,  never  to  spend  a  penny  where  it  can  be 
better  spared  ;  nor  to  spare  it  where  it  can  be  better  spent. 
And  this  will  oblige  me,  whensoever  any  occasion  offers  of 
laying  out  money,  considerately  to  weigh  the  circumstances  of 


Resolutions.  1 53 

it,  and,  according  as  the  matter,  upon  mature  deliberation,  re- 
quires, I  must  not  grudge  to  spend  it :  or,  if  at  any  time  I  find 
more  reason  to  spare,  I  must  not  dare  to  spend  it ;  still  re- 
membering, that  as  I  am  strictly  to  account  for  the  money  God 
has  given  me,  so  I  ought  neither  to  be  covetous  in  saving  or 
hoarding  it  up,  nor  profuse  in  throwing  it  away,  without  a  just 
occasion.  The  main  thing  to  be  regarded  is,  the  end  I  pro- 
pose to  myself  in  my  expenses,  whether  it  be  really  the  glory 
of  God,  or  my  own  carnal  humour  and  appetite.  For  instance, 
if  I  lay  out  my  money  in  clothing  my  body,  the  question  must 
be,  whether  I  do  this  only  for  warmth  and  decency,  or  to  gratify 
my  pride  and  vanity.  If  the  former,  my  money  is  better  spent ; 
if  the  latter,  it  is  better  spared  than  spent.  Again  ;  do  I  lay 
it  out  in  eating  and  drinking  ?  If  this  be  only  to  satisfy  the  ne- 
cessaries of  nature,  and  make  my  life  the  more  easy  and  com- 
fortable, it  is,  without  doubt,  very  well  spent ;  but  if  it  be  to 
feed  my  luxury  and  intemperance,  it  is  much  better  spared  ; 
better  for  my  soul  in  keeping  it  from  sin,  and  better  for  my 
body  in  preserving  it  from  sickness.  And  this  rule  is  the  more 
strictly  to  be  observed,  because  it  is  as  great  a  fault  in  a  ser- 
vant not  to  lay  out  his  master's  money  when  he  should,  as  to 
lay  it  out  when  he  should  not. 

In  order,  therefore,  to  avoid  both  these  extremes,  there  is  a 
third  rule  to  be  observed  under  this  Resolution  ;  and  that  is, 
to  keep  a  particular  account  of  all  my  receipts  and  disburse- 
ments ;  to  set  down  in  a  book  every  penny  I  receive  at  the 
hands  of  the  Almighty,  and  every  penny  I  lay  out  for  his  ho- 
nour and  service.  By  this  means  I  shall  be.  in  a  manner,  forced 
both  to  get  my  money  lawfully,  and  to  lay?  it  out  carefully  ;  for 
how  can  I  put  that  amongst  the  money  I  have  received  from 
God,  which  I  have  got  by  unlawful  means  ?  Certainly,  such 
money  I  may  rather  account  as  received  from  the  devil  for  his 
use,  than  from  God  for  his.  And  so  must  I  either  lay  every 
penny  ou  tfor  God,  or  otherwise  I  shall  not  know  where  to  set 
it  down ;  for  I  must  set  down  nothing  but  what  I  lay  out  for 
his  use  ;  and  if  it  be  not  for  his  use,  with  what  face  can  I  say 
it  was  ?  And,  by  this  means  also,  when  God  shall  be  pleased 
to  call  me  to  an  account  for  what  I  received  from  him,  I  may 
with  comfort  appear  before  him;  and  having  improved  the 
talents  he  had  committed  to  my  charge,  I  may  be  received  into 
his  heavenly  kingdom,  with  a  viell  done,  good  and  faithful  ser- 
vant, enter  thou  into  thy  Master's  joy. 


154  Resolutions. 


RESOLUTION  III. 

J  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  improve  the  authority 
God.  gives  me  over  others,  to  the  suppression  of  vice,  and  the 
-encouragement  of  virtue ;  and  so,  for  the  exaltation  of  God's 
name  on  earth,  and  their  souls  in  heaven. 

That  all  power  and  authority  hath  its  original  from  God, 
and  that  one  creature  is  not  over  another,  but  by  the  provi- 
dence and  will  of  him  who  is  over  all ;  and,  by  consequence, 
that  all  the  authority  we  have  over  men  is  to  be  improved  for 
God,  is  clear,  not  only  from  that  question,  Who  made  thee  to 
differ  from  another  ?  and  what  hast  thou  which  thou  didst  not 
receive?  1  Cor.  iv.  7.  but  likewise,  and  that  more  clearly, 
from  that  positive  assertion,  The  powers  that  be  are  ordained 
of  God,  Rom.  xiii.  1 .  That  therefore  I  may  follow  my  com- 
mission, I  must  stick  close  to  my  present  resolution,  even  in 
all  the  power  God  gives  me,  to  behave  myself  as  one  in- 
vested with  that  power  from  above,  to  restrain  vice  and  en- 
courage virtue,  as  oft  as  I  have  an  opportunity  so  to  do,  al- 
ways looking  upon  myself  as  one  commissioned  by  him,  and 
acting  under  him.  For  this  reason,  I  must  still  endeavour  to 
exercise  my  authority,  as  if  the  most  high  God  was  in  my 
place  in  person  as  well  as  power.  I  must  not  follow  the  dic- 
tates of  my  own  carnal  reason,  much  less  the  humours  of  my 
own  biassed  passion,  but  still  keep  to  the  acts  which  God  him- 
self hath  made,  either  in  the  general  statute-book  for  all  the 
world,  the  holy  Scriptures,  or  in  the  particular  laws  and  sta- 
tutes of  the  nation  wherein  I  live. 

And,  questionless,  if  I  discharge  this  duty  as  I  ought,  what- 
ever sphere  of  authority  I  move  in,  I  am  capable  of  doing  a 
great  deal  of  good,  not  only  by  my  power,  but  by  my  influ- 
ence and  example.  For  common  experience  teaches  us,  that 
even  the  inclinations  and  desires  of  those  that  are  eminent  for 
their  quality  or  station,  are  more  powerful  than  the  very  com- 
mands of  God  himself :  especially  among  persons  of  an  infe- 
rior rank  and  more  servile  disposition,  who  are  apt  to  be  more 
wrought  upon  by  the  fear  of  present  punishment,  or  the  loss 
of  some  temporal  advantage,  than  any  thing  that  is  future  or 
spiritual.  Hence  it  is,  that  all  those  whom  God  entrusteth  with 
this  precious  talent,  have  a  great  advantage  and  opportunity 
in  their  hands,  for  the  suppressing  sin,  and  exalting  holiness 
in  the  world  ;  a  word  from  their  mouths  against  whoredom, 
drunkenness,  profanation  of  the  sabbath,  or  the  like:  yea, 


Resolutions.  155 

their  very  examples  and  silent  gestures,  being  able  to  do  more 
than  the  threatenings  of  Almighty  God,  either  pronounced  by 
himself  in  his  word,  or  by  his  ministers  in  his  holy  ordinances. 
This,  therefore,  is  my  resolution,  that  whatsoever  authority 
the  most  high  God  shall  be  pleased  to  put  upon  me,  I  will  look 
upon  it  as  my  duty,  and  always  make  it  my  endeavour,  to  de- 
molish the  kingdom  of  sin  and  satan,  and  establish  that  of 
Christ  and  holiness  in  the  hearts  of  all  those  to  whom  my  com- 
mission extends  ;  looking  more  at  the  duty  God  expects  from 
me,  than  at  the  dignity  he  confers  upon  me.  In  a  word,  I 
will  so  exercise  the  power  and  authority  God  puts  into  my 
hands  here,  that  when  the  particular  circuit  of  my  life  is  ended, 
and  I  shall  be  brought  to  the  general  assize,  to  give  an  ac- 
count of  this  amongst  my  other  talents,  I  may  give  it  up  with 
joy  ;  and  so  exchange  my  temporal  authority  upon  earth,  for 
an  eternal  crown  of  glory  in  heaven. 


RESOLUTION  IV. 

J  am  resolved,  by  the  divine  grace,  to  improve  the  affections  God 
stirs  up  in  others  towards  me,  to  the  stirring  up  of  their  affec- 
tions towards  God. 

If  the  authority  I  have  over  others,  then,  questionless,  the 
affection  others  have  to  me,  is  to  be  improved  for  God  ;  and 
that  because  the  affection  they  bear  to  me  in  a  natural  sense 
hath  a  kind  of  authority  in  me  over  them  in  a  spiritual  one. 
And  this  I  gather  from  my  own  experience  ;  for  I  find  none 
to  have  a  greater  command  over  me,  than  they  that  manifest 
the  greatest  affections  for  me.  Indeed,  it  is  a  truth  generally 
agreed  on,  that  a  real  and  sincere  esteem  for  any  person,  is 
always  attended  with  a  fear  of  displeasing  that  person  ;  and 
where  there  is  fear  in  the  subject,  there  will,  doubtless,  be 
authority  in  the  object ;  because  fear  is  the  ground  of  authori- 
ty, as  love  is,  or  ought  to  be,  the  ground  of  that  fear.  The 
greatest  potentate,  if  not  feared,  will  not  be  obeyed  ;  if  his 
subjects  stand  in  no  awe  of  him,  he  can  never  strike  any  awe 
upon  them.  Nor  will  that  awre  have  its  proper  effects  in  curb- 
ing and  restraining  them  from  sin  and  disobedience,  unless  it 
proceeds  from,  and  is  joined  with,  love. 

I  know  the  Scripture  tells  me,  There  is  no  fear  in  love,  but 
that  perfect  love  castetli  out  fear,  1  John  iv.  18.  But  that  is  to 
he  understood  of  our  love  to  God,  not  to  men,  and  that  a  per- 


156  Resolutions. 

feet  love  too,  such  as  can  only  be  exercised  in  heaven.  There, 
I  know,  our  love  will  be  consummate,  without  mixture  as  well 
as  without  defect ;  there  will  be  a  perfect  expression  of  love 
on  both  sides,  and  so  no  fear  of  displeasure  on  either.  But 
this  is  a  happiness  which  is  not  to  be  expected  here  on  earth ; 
so  long  as  we  are  clothed  with  flesh  and  blood,  we  shall,  in 
one  degree  or  other,  be  still  under  the  influence  of  our  passions 
and  affections.  And,  therefore,  as  there  is  no  person  we  can 
love  upon  earth,  but  who  may  sometimes  see  occasion  to  be 
displeased  with  us,  so  he  will  always,  upon  this  account,  be 
feared  by  us.  This  I  look  upon  as  the  chief  occasion  of  one 
man's  having  so  much  power  and  influence  over  another. 

But  how  comes  this  under  the  notion  of  a  talent  received 
from  God,  and  so  to  be  improved  for  him  ?  Why,  because  it  is 
he,  and  he  alone,  that  kindles  and  blows  up  the  sparks  of  pure 
love  and  affection  in  us,  and  that  by  the  breathings  of  his  own 
Spirit.  It  was  the  Lord  that  gave  Joseph  favour  in  the  sighl 
of  the  keeper  of  the  prison,  Gen.  xxxix.  21.  and  that  brought 
Daniel  into  favour  and  tender  love  with  the  prince  of  the 
eunuchs,  Dan.  i.  9.  And  so  of  all  others  in  the  world  ;  for  we 
are  told  elsewhere,  that  as  God  fashioneth  the  hearts  of  men, 
so  he  turneth  them  which  way  soever  he  will.  Insomuch  that  I 
can  never  see  any  express  their  love  to  me,  but  I  must  express 
my  thankfulness  to  God  for  it :  nor  can  I  feel  in  myself  any 
warmth  of  affection  towards  others,  without  considering  it  as  aj 
talent  hid  in  my  breast,  which  I  am  obliged  in  duty  to  improve 
for  him,  by  stirring  up  their  affections  unto  him,  whose  affec- 
tions himself  hath  stirred  up  toward  me.  And  this  will  be  the 
more  easy  to  effect,  if  I  take  care,  in  the  first  place,  to  express 
the  zeal  and  sincerity  of  my  own  love  to  God,  by  making  him 
the  chief  object  of  my  esteem  and  adoration,  and  manifest  my 
aversion  to  the  sins  they  are  guilty  of,  by  representing  them 
as  most  loathsome  and  abominable,  as  well  as  most  dangerous 
and  damnable.  For,  wherever  there  is  a  true  and  cordial  af- 
fection to  any  person,  it  is  apt  to  bias  those  that  are  under  the 
influence  of  it,  to  choose  the  same  objects  for  their  love  or 
aversion,  that  such  a  person  does,  i.  e.  to  love  what  he  loves, 
and  hate  what  he  hates.  This  therefore  is  the  first  thing  to 
be  done,  to  stir  up  the  affections  of  others,  to  love  and  serve 
God. 

Another  way  of  my  improving  the  affections  of  others  to 
this  end  is  by  setting  them  a  good  example ;  for  commonly 
what  a  friend  doth,  be  it  good  or  bad,  is  pleasing  to  us,  because 
we  look  not  at  the  goodness  of  the  thing  which  is  done,  but  at 
the  loveliness  of  the  person  that  doth  it.     And  if  the  vices  of 


^ 

M 


*  earth; 

H  it 

nwecaa 
od  to  Ik 

nofons 
her. 

receive! 

'oftk 
fom 

athatl 

expres 

iniproii 
gait 


Resolutions.  1 57 

a  friend  seem  amiable,  how  much  more  will  his  virtues  shine  ? 
J   IFor  this  reason,  therefore,  whensoever  I  perceive  any  person 
to  show  a  respect  for,  or  affection  to  me,  I  shall  always  look 
topon  it  as  an  opportunity  put  into  my  hands  to  serve  and  glo- 
(rify  my  great  Creator,  and  shall  look  upon  it  as  a  call  from 
heaven,  as  much  as  if  I  heard  the  Almighty  say  to  me,  I  de- 
sire to  have  this  person  love  me,  and  therefore  have  I  made 
im  to  love  thee  ;  do  thou  but  set  before  him  an  example  of 
oodness  and  virtue,  and  his  love   to  thy  person  shall  induce 
nd  engage  him  to  direct  his  actions  according  to  it.     This, 
herefore,  is  the  rule  that  I  fully  resolve  to  guide  myself  by, 
with  relation  to  those  who  are  pleased  to  allow  me  a  share  in 
:heir  esteem  and  affection,  which  I  hope  to  improve  to  their 
idvantage  in  the  end  :  that  as  they  love  me,  and  I  love  them 
now,  so  we  may  all  love  God,  and  God  love  us  to  all  eternity. 


RESOLUTION   V. 

I  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  improve  every  good 
thought  to  the  producing  of  good  affections  in  myself,  and 
as  good  actions  with  respect  to  God. 


Whatsoever  comes  from  God,  being  a  talent  to  be  impro- 

i'ed  to  him,  I  cannot  but  think  good  thoughts  to  be  as  precious 
alents  as  it  is  possible  a  creature  can  be  blessed  with.  But 
et  me  esteem  them  as  I  will,  I  am  sure  my  Master  will  reckon 
hem  amongst  the  talents  he  entrusted  me  with,  and  will  call 
me  to  an  account  for,  and  therefore  I  ought  not  to  neglect 
them.  The  Scripture  tells  me,  J  am  not  sufficient  of  myself  to 
think  any  thing  as  of  myself,  but  that  my  sufficiency  is  of  God, 
2  Cor.  iii.  5. 

And  if  I  be  not  sufficient  to  think  any  thing,  much  less  am  I 
able  of  myself  to  think  of  that  which  is  good ;  forasmuch  as  to 
£*ood  thoughts  there  must  always  be  supposed  a  special  con- 
currence of  God's  Spirit ;  whereas  to  other  thoughts  there  is 
only  the  general  concurrence  of  his  presence.  Seeing,  there- 
fore, they  come  from  God,  how  must  I  lay  them  out  for  him  ? 
Why,  by  sublimating  good  thoughts  into  good  affections.  Does 
God  vouchsafe  to  send  down  into  my  heart  a  thought  of  him- 
self ?  I  am  to  send  up  this  thought  to  him  again,  in  the  fiery 
^chariot  of  love,  desire,  and  joy.  Doth  he  dart  into  my  soul  a 
thought  of  holiness  and  purity  ?  I  am  to  dwell  and  meditate 

O 


158  Resolutions. 

upon  it,  till  it  break  out  into  a  flame  of  love  and  affection  for 
him.  Doth  he  raise  up  in  my  spirit  a  thought  of  sin,  and  show 
me  the  ugliness  and  deformity  of  it  ?  I  must  let  it  work  its  de- 
sired effect,  by  making  it  as  loathsome  and  detestable,  as  that 
thought  represents  it  to  be. 

But  good  thoughts  must  not  only  be  improved  to  produce 
good  affections  in  my  heart,  but  likewise  good  actions  in  my 
life.  So  that  the  thoughts  of  God  should  not  only  make  me 
more  taken  with  his  beauty,  but  more  active  for  his  glory; 
and  the  thoughts  of  sin  should  not  only  damp  my  affection  to 
it,  but  likewise  deter  and  restrain  me  from  the  commission 
of  it. 

And  thus,  every  good  thought  that  God  puts  into  my  heart, 
instead  of  slipping  out,  as  it  does  with  some  others,  without 
regard,  will  be  cherished  and  improved  to  the  producing  of 
good  actions.  These  actions  will  entitle  me  to  the  blessings 
of  God,  and  that  to  the  kingdom  of  glory. 


RESOLUTION  VI. 

/  am  resolved,  by  the  grace  of  God,  to  improve  every  affliction 
God  lays  upon  me,  as  an  earnest  or  token  of  his  affection 
toivards  me. 

Every  thing  that  flows  from  God  to  his  servants,  coming 
under  the  notion  of  talents,  to  be  improved  for  himself,  I  am 
sure,  afflictions  as  well  as  other  mercies,  must  needs  be  reck- 
oned amongst  those  talents  God  is  pleased  to  vouchsafe. 
Indeed,  it  is  a  talent,  without  which  I  should  be  apt  to  forget 
the  improvement  of  all  the  rest ;  and  which,  if  well  improved, 
itself  will  work  out  for  me  a  far  more  exceeding  and  eternal 
weight  of  glory,  2  Cor.  iv.  1,7.  It  is  the  non-improvement  of 
an  affliction  that  makes  it  a  curse  ;  whereas,  if  improved,  it  is 
as  great  a  blessing  as  any  God  is  pleased  to  scatter  amongst 
the  children  of  men.  And  therefore  it  is  that  God  most  fre- 
quently entrusteth  this  precious  talent  with  his  own  peculiar 
people :  You  only  have  I  knoivn  of  all  the  families  of  the  earth ; 
therefore  will  I  punish  you  for  your  iniquities,  Amos  iii.  2. 
Those  that  God  knows  the  best,  with  them  will  he  entrust  the 
most,  if  not  of  other  talents,  yet,  be  sure,  of  this,  which  is  so 
useful  and  necessary  to  bring  us  to  the  knowledge  of  ourselves 
and  our  Creator,  that  without  it  we  should  be  apt  to  forget 
both. 


Resolutions.  159 

It  is  this  that  shows  us  the  folly  and  pride  of  presumption, 
as  well  as  the  vanity  and  emptiness  of  all  worldly  enjoyments ; 
and  deters  us  from  incensing  and  provoking  him,  from  whom 
all  our  happiness  as  well  as  our  afflictions  flow.  Let,  therefore, 
what  crosses  or  calamities  soever  befall  me,  I  am  still  resolved 
to  bear  them  all,  not  only  with  a  patient  resignation  to  the  di- 
vine will,  but  even  to  comfort  and  rejoice  myself  in  them,  as 
the  greatest  blessings.  For  instance,  am  I  seized  with  pain 
and  sickness  ?  I  shall  look  upon  it  as  a  message  from  God,  sent 
on  purpose  to  put  me  in  mind  of  death,  and  to  convince  me 
of  the  necessity  of  being  always  prepared  for  it,  by  a  good 
life,  which  a  state  of  uninterrupted  health  is  apt  to  make  us  un- 
mindful of.  Do  I  sustain  any  losses  or  crosses  ?  The  true  use 
of  these  is  to  make  me  sensible  of  the  fickleness  and  incon- 
stancy of  this  world's  blessings,  which  we  can  no  sooner  cast 
our  eye  upon,  but  they  immediately  take  to  themselves  icings, 
and  fly  away  from  us.  And  so  all  other  afflictions  God  sees 
fit  to  lay  upon  me  may,  in  like  manner,  be  some  way  or  other 
improved  for  my  happiness. 

But,  besides  the  particular  improvements  of  particular  chas- 
tisements, the  general  improvement  of  all  is  the  increasing  of 
my  love  and  affection  to  that  God,  who  brings  these  afflictions 
upon  me.  For  how  runs  the  mittimus,  whereby  he  is  pleased 
to  send  me  to  the  dungeon  of  afflictions  ?  Deliver  such  an  one 
to  Satan  to  be  buffetted  in  the  flesh,  that  the  Spirit  may  be  saved 
in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  1  Cor.  v.  5.  By  this  it  appears, 
that  the  furnace  of  afflictions,  which  God  is  pleased,  at  any 
time,  to  throw  me  into,  is  not  heated  at  the  fire  of  his  wrath, 
but  at  the  flames  of  his  affection  to  me.  The  consideration 
whereof,  as  it  should  more  inflame  my  love  to  him,  so  shall  it 
likewise  engage  to  express  a  greater  degree  of  gratitude  to- 
wards him,  when  he  singles  me  out  not  only  to  suffer  from 
him,  but  for  him  too.  For  this  is  an  honour  indeed,  peculiar 
to  the  saints  of  God,  which  if  he  shall  be  pleased  ever  to  pre- 
fer me  to,  I  shall  look  upon  it  as  upon  other  afflictions,  to  be 
improved  for  his  glory,  the  good  of  others,  and  the  everlasting 
comfort  of  my  own  soul. 

Thus  have  I  reckoned  up  the  talents  God  hath,  or  may,  put 
:nto  my  hands,  to  be  improved  for  his  glory.  May  the  same 
divine  Being  that  entrusted  me  with  them,  and  inspired  me 
with  these  good  resolutions  concerning  them,  enable  me,  by 
his  grace,  to  make  a  due  use  of  them,  and  carefully  to  put  in 
practice  what  I  have  thus  religiously  resolved  upon ! 

There  are  some  other  mercies,  which  might  be  set  down 


1 60  Resolutions. 

in  the  catalogue  of  talents  ;  as  the  graces  and  motions  of  God's 
holy  Spirit,  and  the  use  of  his  holy  ordinances,  under  the  min- 
istry of  the  Gospel ;  but  these  being  included  and  insisted  on 
under  several  of  the  foregoing  heads,  will  not  require  a  distinct 
consideration. 


PRIVATE  THOUGHTS 


UPON   A 

CHRISTIAN  LIFE; 

OR, 

NECESSARY  DIRECTIONS 

FOR  ITS  BEGINNING  AND  PROGRESS  UPON  EARTH, 

IN    ORDER    TO    ITS 

FINAL    PERFECTION    IN    THE    BEATIFIC    VISION, 


PART  II. 


By  WILLIAM  BEVERIDGE,  D.  D. 


LORD    BISHOP    OF    ST.    ASAPH. 


Written  by  him  in  his  Riper  Years,  and  printed  from  his  original 
Manuscripts. 


O  2 


PREFACE. 


THE  kind  reception  which  has  been  given  to  all  the  other 
works  of  this  incomparable  Author,  particularly  to  his  Private 
Thoughts,  written  in  his  younger  years,  has  encouraged  the 
publishing  of  another  volume  of  his  Thoughts,  upon  subjects 
of  the  most  importance  to  the  Christian  Life  in  all  the  chief 
scenes  of  it ;  and  those  composed  when  age  and  experience  in 
the  course  of  his  parochial  ministry  had  taught  him,  what  di- 
rections were  most  necessary  for  the  conduct  of  every  disciple 
of  Christ,  through  all  the  stages  of  that  race  which  is  set  be- 
fore us,  that  he  so  run  that  he  may  obtain.  Accordingly  the 
reader  is  here  furnished,  not  only  with  such  instructions  as  are 
most  proper  for  the  entrance  upon  this  race,  and  the  early  dis- 
cipline of  those  who  are  new  listed  under  Christ's  banner  ;  but 
also  with  such  other  points  both  of  faith  and  practice,  as  are 
most  fit  to  be  afterwards  inculcated  and  pressed  upon  them, 
for  their  successful  carrying  on  of  this  holy  warfare,  and  finish- 
ing their  course,  so  as  at  last  to  attain  the  crovm  of  righteous- 
ness, laid  up  for  all  those  that  continue  Chrisfs  faithful  sol- 
diers and  servants  to  their  lives''  end. 

As  in  his  Private  Thoughts  and  Resolutions,  this  excellent 
Bishop  seems  to  have  chiefly  aimed  at  settling  his  own  princi- 
ples, and  regulating  his  practice,  as  became  a  follower  of  the 
holy  Jesus,  and  a  minister  of  his  Gospel :  so  in  these  which 
are  more  public,  he  carries  on  the  same  pious  design  with  re- 
spect to  others,  and  executes  that  sacred  office  for  which  those 
were  to  prepare  him.  Indeed,  great  and  indefatigable  as  his 
labours  were,  (for  few  ever  laboured  more,)  the  end  of  them 
was  always  the  salvation  of  souls.  And  as  that  spirit  of  piety 
which  runs  through  all  his  writings,  together  with  his  plain, 
unaffected,  familiar,  and  yet  most  solid  way  of  argument  and 
persuasion,  are  both  admirably  adapted  to  this  great  end  ;  (to 
say  nothing  of  all  his  other  daily  and  unwearied  pains  in  the 
ministry  while  living  ;)  so,  through  God's  great  blessing  upon 
his  endeavours,  they  were  then,  and  have  been  since,  crowned 
with  great  success  ;  and  it  is  the  hopes  and  prayers  of  all  good 


164  PREFACE. 

men,  that  they  may  continue  so  to  be  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
and  daily  add  to  our  holiness  and  his  happiness. 

Among  many  instances  that  might  be  given  of  this  happy 
success,  I  have  now  one  before  me,  in  a  relation  of  the  beha- 
viour of  one  of  this  vigilant  pastor's  flock,  in  his  last  sickness, 
as  it  is  attested  by  an  eye-witness  of  it.  I  will  not  trouble  the 
reader  with  the  particulars  ;  the  sum  is,  that  this  pious  gentle- 
man, with  his  last  breath,  expressed  so  much  resignation  to 
God's  will,  and  so  little  fear  of  death  ;  such  comfort  in  re- 
flecting upon  the  better  part  of  his  life,  especially  his  charity 
to  the  poor  ;  and  so  much  zeal  in  recommending  that  duty  to 
those  about  him  ;  and,  above  all,  such  an  anticipation  of  those 
ecstacies  of  joy  and  happiness  which  he  was  going  to  in  an- 
other world,  and  so  uncommon  and  enlarged  an  understanding 
of  the  great  mysteries  of  religion ;  that  if,  in  the  midst  of  these 
holy  raptures,  he  had  not  owned  his  great  obligations  to  Dr. 
Beveridge  for  these  spiritual  blessings;  yet  we  might  have  easily 
judged,  that  so  great  a  proficient  in  the  school  of  religion  could 
be  indebted,  under  God,  to  the  care  and  instruction  of  no  less 
a  master  for  such  extraordinary  acquirements. 

And,  with  respect  to  that  good,  which  it  is  piously  hoped 
this  great  Prelate's  works  have  done  since  his  death,  and  may 
continue  to  do  daily,  it  has  been  observed  by  some  devout  per- 
sons, that  sinee  the  publication  of  them,  our  churches  have 
been  generally  fuller  than  they  used  to  be  ;  to  which,  as  nothing 
would  contribute  more,  than  that  spirit  of  devotion  and  true 
piety,  which  in  all  his  practical  writings  this  holy  man  both 
expresses  himself,  and  labours  to  create  in  others :  so,  if  after 
all  these  pious  endeavours  to  cultivate  and  promote  it  in  the 
world,  we  are  sensible  of  the  least  growth  of  it,  I  know  not 
why  we  may  not  ascribe  so  good  an  effect  to  the  blessing  of 
God  upon  so  probable  a  cause. 

However,  if  the  piety  of  some  among  us,  which  we  hope 
increaseth,  be  not  a  sufficient  argument  of  a  probable  increase 
of  true  religion,  to  be  expected  from  the  influence  of  this  great 
man's  works,  yet  I  am  sorry  to  say,  that  the  wickedness  of 
others  does  abundantly  make  up  that  defect ;  I  mean  the  rest- 
less endeavours  of  all  the  enemies  of  God  and  religion,  to  dis- 
credit and  defame  them ;  if  by  any  means  they  could  be  able 
to  ward  such  a  blow  to  the  kingdom  of  darkness,  as  they  seem 
to  apprehend  from  his  pious  labours.  And  what  wonder  if 
those  who  mock  God,  and  would  bring  religion  itself  into  con- 
tempt, use  their  utmost  endeavours  to  blast  the  reputation  of 
an  author,  whose  writings  are  so  eminently  serviceable  to 
religion,  and  tend  so  much  to  advance  the  glory  of  God  ?  All 


PREFACE.  165 

their  attempts  of  this  nature  are  so  many  arguments  of  the  ex- 
cellency of  what  they  would  decry  ;  they  are  the  testimonies 
even  of  enemies,  in  behalf  of  those  admirable  books  which 
they  pretend  to  ridicule  ;  and  all  the  scorn  and  contempt  they 
express  upon  this  occasion,  reflects  more  honour  upon  Bishop 
Beveridge  and  his  works ;  I  had  almost  said,  even  than  the  ap- 
probation and  esteem  of  all  his  and  religion's  friends.  So 
much  good  does  God  in  his  infinite  wisdom  and  mercy  produce 
out  of  the  greatest  evil,  by  turning  all  the  wit  and  malice  of 
these  reprobates  against  themselves,  and  making  them,  even 
against  their  own  wills,  instruments  of  sounding  forth  the 
praises  of  this  excellent  writer,  at  the  same  time,  and  by  the  very 
same  means,  that  they  vainly  attempt  to  dishonour  and  reproach 
him.  As  the  devils  themselves  were  forced  to  own  our  bles- 
sed Saviour,  though  they  knew  he  came  on  purpose  to  destroy 
them.  It  were  only  to  be  wished,  that  in  this,  as  in  most  other 
instances,  those  children  of  this  world  were  not  in  their  genera- 
tion so  much  wiser  than  the  children  of  light.  It  is  true,  we 
may  as  well  fear,  that  dogs  should  bark  out  the  moon,  as  that 
the  utmost  malice  of  these  enemies  to  truth  shall  ever  be  able 
to  sully  a  reputation,  that  has  long  shined  with  so  much  bright- 
ness among  all  learned  and  good  men,  both  at  home  and  a- 
broad  :  insomuch,  that  when  this  illustrious  Prelate  was  dying, 
one  of  the  chief  of  his  order  deservedly  said  of  him,  There 
goes  one  of  the  greatest,  and  of  the  best  men  that  ever  England 
bred.  No,  we  have  seen  that  all  their  attempts  against  him  do 
but  add  lustre  to  his  fame.  However,  it  cannot  be  less  the 
interest  of  religion  to  promote  the  works  of  so  able  a  divine, 
than  it  is  that  of  atheism  and  irreligion  to  oppose  them ;  and 
if  all  good  men  would  show  as  much  zeal  in  the  defence  of 
them  and  their  great  author,  and  be  as  industrious  to  recom- 
mend both  his  writings  and  example,  as  atheists  and  libertines 
are  to  obstruct  the  influences  of  both,  this  would  still  be  anoth- 
er addition  to  the  glory  of  so  great  a  name ;  and  the  good  ef- 
fects we  might  hope  for,  on  the  lives  of  men,  from  such  ex- 
cellent books,  dispersed  into  many  hands,  would  be,  at  once, 
the  best  attestation  that  could  be  given  to  the  wondrous 
benefit  and  usefulness  of  them,  and  also  the  most  effectual 
means  to  stop  the  mouths  of  gainsayers,  by  lessening  the  num- 
ber of  them  daily,  and  bringing  them  over  from  infidelity  and 
atheism,  to  the  cause  of  God  and  religion. 

And  I  cannot  close  this  Preface  better,  than  with  earnest 
prayers  to  God,  that  this,  and  all  the  other  works  of  Bishop 
Beveridge,  may  have  that  blessed  effect  ;  and  that  in  return 
to  all  the  malice  of  those,  who  seem  to  envy  us  the  great 


166  PREFACE. 

good  we  may  hope  for  from  such  pious  and  instructive  dis- 
courses, they  may,  by  degrees,  instil  even  into  their  breasts 
some  of  that  spirit  of  piety,  diffused  though  every  page  ;  and 
of  atheists  and  libertines,  make  them  sober  men,  and  Chris- 
tians. 


THOUGHTS 


CHRISTIAN  EDUCATION 


IF  the  principles  of  the  Christian  religion  were  well  rooted 
in  the  hearts  of  all  mankind,  what  excellent  fruit  would  they 
produce  !  The  earth  would  put  on  another  face,  bearing  some 
resemblance  of  heaven  itself :  idolatry,  with  all  sorts  of  wick- 
edness and  vice,  would  be  every  where  discountenanced  and 
suppressed  ;  for  all  would  worship  the  one  living  and  true  God, 
and  him  only  :  there  would  be  no  more  wars,  nor  rumours  of 
wars ;  kingdom  would  not  rise  against  kingdom,  nor  nation 
against  nation  ;  but  all  princes  would  be  at  peace  with  their 
neighbours,  and  their  subjects  at  unity  among  themselves,  striv- 
ing about  nothing  but  which  should  serve  God  best,  and  do  most 
good  in  the  world.  Then  piety,  and  justice,  and  charity,  would 
revive  and  flourish  again  all  the  world  over,  and  particularly 
in  the  church  and  kingdom  to  which  we  belong.  Then  the 
prayers  would  be  read  twice  a  day  in  every  parish,  as  the  law- 
requires,  and  all  people  would  heartily  join  together  in  offer- 
ing them  up  to  the  almighty  Creator  of  the  world.  Then  all 
that  are  of  riper  years  would,  at  least  every  Lord's  day,  cele- 
brate the  memory  of  the  death  of  Christ,  by  which  their  sins 
are  expiated,  and  the  most  high  God  reconciled  to  them,  and 
become  their  God  and  Father  :  and  as  all  sorts  of  people  would 
thus  continually  worship  God  in  his  own  house,  so  wheresoever 
they  are,  they  would  do  all  they  could  to  serve  and  honour  him  : 
Whether  they  eat  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  they  do,  they  would 
do  all  to  his  glory.  And  as  for  their  fellow-servants,  they 
would  all  love  as  brethren,  and  every  one  seek  another's  good 
as  well  as  their  own  ;  Whatsoever  they  would  that  men  should 
do  to  them  they  would  do  the  same  to  all  other  men.  In  short, 
all  would  then  deny  ungodliness  and  ivorldly  lusts,  and  live 
soberly,  righteously,  and  godlily  in  this  present  world,  and  so 
walk  hand  in  hand  together  in  the  narrow  way  that  leads  to 


168  Thoughts  upon 

everlasting  life.  This  would  be  the  happy  state  of  all  mankind, 
if  they  were  but  well  grounded  in  that  religion  which  the  eter- 
nal Son  of  God  hath  planted  upon  earth. 

But  not  to  speak  of  other  people,  we  of  this  nation  rarely 
find  any  such  effect  of  this  religion  among  ourselves  ;  though 
it  be  as  generally  professed,  and  as  clearly  taught  among  us, 
as  ever  it  was  in  any  nation,  there  are  but  few  that  are  ever 
the  better  for  it ;  the  most  being  here  also  as  bad  both  in  their 
principles,  and  practices,  as  they  which  live  in  the  darkest  cor- 
ners of  the  earth,  where  the  light  of  the  Gospel  never  yet 
shined  :  though  the  kingdom  in  general  be  Christian,  there  are 
many  heathens  in  it,  people  that  were  never  christened  ;  many 
that  were  once  christened,  and  are  now  turned  heathens  again, 
living  as  without  God  in  the  world :  many  that  would  still  be 
thought  Christians,  and  yet  have  apostatized  so  far  as  to  lay 
aside  both  the  sacraments  which  Christ  ordained,  and  every 
thing  else  that  can  shew  them  to  be  so  ;  many  that  privily  bring 
in  damnable  heresies,  even  denying  the  Lord  that  bought  them, 
and  so  bring  upon  themselves  swift  destruction  ;  many  that 
follow  their  pernicious  ways,  by  reason  of  whom  the  way  of 
truth  is  evil  spoken  of  and  through  covetousness  with  feigned 
words  make  merchandise  of  men,  as  St.  Peter  foretold,  2  Pet. 
ii.  1,  2,  3.  Many  who  will  not  endure  sound  doctrine,  but 
after  their  own  lusts,  heap  to  themselves  teachers,  having  itch- 
ing ears ;  and  so  fulfil  the  prophecy  of  St.  Paul,  2  Tim.  iv.  3. 
And  of  those  who  still  continue  in  the  communion  of  the 
Church,  and  in  the  outward  profession  of  the  true  Christian 
faith,  there  are  many  who,  although  they  profess  to  know  God, 
yet  in  works  they  deny  him,  being  abominable  and  disobedient, 
and  unto  every  good  work  reprobate,  Tit.  i.  16.  Many,  did  I 
say  ?  I  wish  I  could  not  say  almost  all :  but  alas !  it  is  too 
plain  to  be  denied. 

For,  of  that  vast  company  of  people  that  are  called  Chris- 
tians in  this  kingdom,  how  few  are  there  that  live  as  becometh 
the  Gospel  of  Christ  ?  that  finish  the  work  which  God  hath 
given  them  to  do,  even  glorify  him  in  the  world  ?  How  many 
that  refuse  or  neglect  to  worship  and  serve  him  upon  his  own 
day  ?  How  few  that  do  it  upon  any  other  day,  when  they  have 
any  thing  else  to  do  ?  How  many  that  never  received  the  sa- 
crament of  the  Lord's  Supper  in  their  whole  lives  ?  How  few 
that  receive  it  above  two  or  three  times  in  the  year,  how  often 
soever  they  are  invited  to  it  ?  How  many  are  the  proud,  the 
passionate,  the  covetous,  the  intemperate,  the  incontinent,  the 
unjust,  the  profane  and  impious,  in  comparison  of  the  humble, 
and  meek,  and  liberal,  and  sober,  and  modest,  and  righteous, 


m\d  holy  among  us  ?  The  disproportion  is  so  vastly  great,  that 
none  but  God  himself  can  make  the  comparison  :  so  little  of 
Christianity  is  now  to  be  found  amongst  Christians  themselves  ; 
to  our  shame  be  it  spoken. 

It  is  indeed  a  matter  of  so  much  shame,  as  well  as  grief,  to 
all  that  have  any  regard  for  the  honour  of  Christ  their  Saviour, 
that  they  cannot  but  be  very  solicitous  to  know  how  it  comes 
to  pass,  that  his  doctrine  and  precepts  are  so  generally  slighted 
and  neglected  as  they  are  in  our  days  ?  and  how  they  may  be 
observed  better  for  the  future  than  now  they  are  ?  Both  which 
questions  may  be  easily  resolved ;  for  we  cannot  wonder,  that 
of  the  many  which  profess  the  Christian  religion,  there  are  so 
kw  that  live  up  to  it,  when  we  consider  how  few  are  duly  in- 
structed in  the  first  principles  of  it. 

The  religion  which  Christ  hath  revealed  to  the  world,  is  by 
his  grace  and  blessing  settled  and  established  among  us,  so  as 
to  be  made  the  religion  of  the  kingdom  in  general  :  and  there- 
fore all  that  are  born  in  it,  are,  or  ought  to  be,  according  to 
his  order  or  institution,  soon  after  baptized,  and  so  made  his 
discip^s,  or  Christians  by  profession.  And  the  church  takes 
security  of  those  who  thus  bring  a  child  to  be  baptized,  that 
when  it  comes  to  be  capable  of  it,  it  shall  be  instructed  in  the 
Catechism,  which  she  for  that  purpose  hath  set  forth,  contain- 
ing all  the  principles  of  that  religion  into  which  it  was  bap- 
tized. But  notwithstanding  this  hath  been  neglected  for  many 
years,  whereby  it  is  come  to  pass  that  the  far  greatest  part  of 
the  people  in  this  kingdom  know  little  or  nothing  of  the  reli- 
gion they  profess,  but  only  to  profess  it  as  the  religion  of  the 
country  where  they  live  ;  they  may  perhaps  be  very  zealous  for 
it,  as  all  people  are  for  the  religion  in  which  they  are  born  and 
bred,  but  h  ke  no  care  to  frame  their  lives  according  to  it,  be- 
cause they  were  never  rightly  informed  about  it;  or,  at  least,  not 
soon  enough,  before  error  or  sin  hath  got  possession  of  them, 
which  one  or  other  of  them  commonly  doth  before  they  are 
aware  of  it  ;  for  they  are  always  as  children  tossed  to  and  fro, 
and  carried  about  with  every  wind  of  doctrine,  by  the  sleight 
of  men,  and  cunning  craftiness,  whereby  they  lie  in  wait  to  de- 
ceive, Eph.  iv.  14.  And  whatsoever  sin  gets  dominion  over 
them,  there  it  reigns  and  domineers  in  their  mortal  bodies,  so 
that  they  obey  it  in  the  lusts  thereof,  in  spite  of  all  that  can  be 
said  to  them  out  of  God's  own  word  ;  for  they  are  no  way  edi- 
fied by  any  thing  they  hear,  in  that  the  foundation  is  not  first 
laid  upon  which  they  should  build  up  themselves  in  that  most 
holy  faith  that  is  preached  to  them.  The  word  they  hear  is  as 
seed  that  falls  by  the  way  side,  or  upon  a  rock,  or  else  among 

P 


170  Thoughts  upon 

thorns,  and  so  never  comes  to  perfection  ;  their  hearts  not  be- 
ing prepared  beforehand,  and  rightly  disposed  for  it,  by  having 
the  principles  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  first  infused  into  them. 

This  therefore  being  the  great  cause  of  that  shameful  decay 
of  the  Christian  religion  that  is  so  visible  among  us,  we  can 
never  expect  to  see  it  repaired,  unless  the  great  duty  of  cate- 
chising be  revived,  and  the  laws  that  are  made  about  it  be 
strictly  observed  all  the  kingdom  over,  as  most  certainly  they 
ought  to  be,  not  only  as  they  are  the  laws  both  of  the  church 
and  state  under  which  we  live,  but  likewise  for  that  they  are 
grounded  upon  the  word  of  God  himself,  who  expressly  com- 
mands the  same  thing  by  his  apostle,  saying,  Fathers,  provoke 
not  your  children  to  wrath,  but  bring  them  up  in  the  nurture  and 
admonition  of  the  Lord. 

For  here,  by  nurture,  we  are  to  understand,  as  the  Greek 
word  zretihi*  signifies,  that  discipline  which  parents  ought  to 
exercise  over  their  children,  to  prevent  their  falling  into,  or 
continuing  in  any  wicked  course.  And  by  the  admonition  of 
the  Lord,  is  meant  the  catechising,  or  putting  them  in  mind  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  of  what  lie  would  have  them  be- 
lieve and  do,  that  they  may  be  saved.  For  the  original  word 
vovStTtsi  which  we  translate  admonition,  properly  signifies 
catechising.  (KxTr/zJ^eiv  vovSereh,  Hesych.)  And  therefore 
to  catechise  or  instruct  children  in  the  knowledge  of  God  and 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  is  a  duty  here  laid  upon  all  parents  by 
Almighty  God  himself;  and  all  that  neglect  to  educate  or 
bring  up  their  children  in  the  admonition  of  the  Lord,  by  cate- 
chising or  teaching  them  the  principles  of  his  religion,  they  all 
live  in  the  breach  of  a  plain  law,  a  law  made  by  the  supreme 
Lawgiver  of  the  world,  and  must  accordingly  answer  for  it  at 
the  last  day. 

Wherefore  all  that  are  sensible  of  the  great  account  which 
they  must  give  of  all  their  actions,  at  that  fime,  to  the  Judge 
of  the  whole  world,  cannot  but  make  as  much  conscience  of 
this  as  of  any  duty  whatsoever,  so  as  to  use  the  utmost  of  their 
care  and  diligence,  that  their  children  may  grow  in  grace,  and 
in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  and 
so  be  wise  unto  salvation.  Neither  is  this  any  hard  matter  for 
those  to  do,  who  live  in  the  communion  of  the  church,  having 
such  a  catechism  or  summary  of  the  Christian  religion  drawn 
up  to  their  hands,  which  is  easy  both  for  parents  to  teach,  and 
for  children  to  learn  :  and  yet  so  full  and  comprehensive,  that 
it  contains  all  things  necessary  for  any  man  to  know  in  order 
to  his  being  saved.  As  you  may  clearly  see  if  you  do  but  cast 
your  eye  upon  the  method  and  contents  of  it,  which  may  be  all 


Christian  Education.  171 

reduced  to  these  five  heads  ;  the  Baptismal  Vow,  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  the  Ten  Commandments,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the 
Doctrine  of  the  Sacraments  ordained  by  our  Lord  Christ. 

It  begins  where  a  child  begins  to  be  a  Christian,  and  there- 
fore hath  a  Christian  name  give  him,  even  at  .his  baptism, 
wherein  he  was  made  a  member  of  Christ,  a  child  of  God,  and 
an  inheritor  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven ;  which  great  privileges 
belong  to  all  that  are  baptized  and  to  none  else.  None  else 
being  in  the  number  of  Christ's  disciples ;  for  our  Lord  Christ, 
a  little  before  his  ascension  into  heaven,  left  orders  with  his 
apostles,  and  in  them  with  all  that  should  succeed  in  the  min- 
istry of  the  church  to  the  end  of  the  world,  to  make  all  nations 
his  disciples,  by  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  as  the  original  words  plainly  import,  Matt, 
xxviii.  19.  And  therefore  as  people  of  all  nations  are  capa- 
ble of  being  made  his  disciples,  so  none  now  are,  nor  ever  can 
be  made  so  any  other  way,  than  by  being  baptized  according 
to  his  order.  But  they  who  are  not  thus  made  his  disciples 
by  being  baptized  unto  him,  are  not  the  members  of  Christ ; 
and  if  they  be  not  the  members  of  Christ,  they  cannot  be  the 
children  of  God,  nor  have  any  right  to  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
that  being  promised  only  to  such  as  believe  and  are  baptized, 
Mark  xvi.  16.  And  our  Saviour  himself  elsewhere  also  saith, 
That  except  a  man  be  born  again  of  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  he 
cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  John  iii.  5.  Whereby 
we  may  perceive  the  great  necessity  of  this  sacrament,  where 
it  may  be  had,  as  our  church  observes  in  the  Office  for  the  min- 
istration of  it  to  such  as  are  of  riper  years. 

It  is  to  be  farther  observed,  that  when  our  Saviour  ordained 
baptism  to  be  the  way  or  means  of  admitting  persons  into  his 
church,  or  the  congregation  of  his  disciples,  lest  we  should 
think,  as  some  have  done,  that  he  meant  it  only  of  those  who 
are  of  riper  years,  he  used  the  most  general  terms  that  could 
be  invented,  requiring  that  all  nations  should  be  baptized  ;  and 
if  all  nations,  then  children  also,  which  are  a  great,  if  not  the 
greatest  part  of  every  nation.  And  accordingly  his  church 
hath  always  baptized  children  as  well  as  adult  persons  :  when 
any  who  were  come  to  years  of  discretion  were  willing  and 
desirous  to  become  Christ's  disciples,  that  they  might  learn  of 
him  the  way  to  heaven,  they  were  made  so  by  being  baptized  ; 
and  if  they  had  children,  they  were  also  baptized  at  the  same 
time  with  their  parents  :  and  so  were  the  children  which  were 
afterwards  born  to  them  ;  they  also  were  baptized  soon  after 
they  were  born.  And  that  it  is  our  Saviour's  pleasure  that 
children  also  should  be  brought  into  his  church,  appears  like- 


172  Thoughts  upon 

in  that  when  his  disciples  rebuked  those  who  brought  children 
to  him,  he  was  much  displeased,  and  said  unto  them,  Suffer 
the  little  children  to  come  unto  me,  and  forbid  them  not,  for  of 
such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Mark  x.  14. 

But  seeing  they  who  are  thus  baptized  according  to  the  in- 
stitution of  Christ,  are  thereby  made  his  disciples,  and  in  him 
the  children  of  God,  it  is  necessary  they  should  then  promise 
to  believe,  and  live  from  that  time  forward  according  as  he 
hath  commanded  ;  which  promise  therefore  all  that  are  grown 
up,  always  used  to  make  every  one  in  his  own  person,  and  for 
that  purpose  were,  and  ought  to  be  catechised  beforehand,  and 
put  in  mind  of  what  they  were  to  promise  when  they  wTere  bap- 
tized; and  therefore  were  called  Catechumens.  But  children  not 
being  capable  of  making  any  such  promise  themselves  in  their 
own  persons,  they  were  always  admitted  and  required  to  do  it 
by  their  guardians,  that  is,  by  their  godfathers  and  godmothers, 
which  brought  and  offered  them  to  be  baptized ;  and  are  there- 
fore obliged  to  take  care  that  they  be  afterwards  catechised, 
or  instructed  in  the  principles  of  that  religion  into  which  they 
were  admitted,  and  put  in  mind  of  the  promise  which  they  then 
made  of  framing  their  lives  according  to  it. 

This  promise  therefore,  which  children  make  at  their  bap- 
tism by  their  sureties,  and  which  is  implied  in  the  very  nature 
of  the  sacrament,  whether  they  have  any  sureties  or  no,  con- 
sists of  three  general  heads. 

First,  That  they  will  renounce  the  devil  and  all  his  works, 
the  pomps  and  vanities  of  this  wicked  world,  and  all  the  sinful 
lusts  of  the  flesh. 

Secondly,  That  they  will  believe  all  the  Articles  of  the  Chris- 
tian faith. 

Thirdly,  That  they  will  keep  God's  holy  will  and  command- 
ments, and  walk  in  the  same  all  the  days  of  their  life. 

Which  three  things,  under  which  the  whole  substance  of 
the  Christian  religion  is  contained,  being  all  promised  by  chil- 
dren when  they  are  baptized  into  it,  it  is  absolutely  necessary 
that  they  be  afterwards  put  in  mind,  as  soon  as  they  are  capa- 
ble, of  the  promise  which  they  then  made,  and  of  the  obliga- 
tion which  lies  upon  them  to  perform  it :  for  otherwise  it  can 
never  be  expected  that  they  should  either  do,  or  so  much  as 
know  it ;  whereas  the  instructing  them  in  this  the  first  part  of 
the  Catechism,  will  prepare  and  dispose  them  for  the  the  un- 
derstanding all  the  rest. 

Particularly  the  Apostles'  Creed,  which  is  next  taught  them, 
containing  all  those  articles  of  the  Christian  faith,  which  they 
promise  to  believe,  and  nothing  else ;  nothing  but  what  is 


Christian  Education.  173 

grounded  upon  plain  texts  of  Scripture,  and  hath  been  always 
believed  by  the  whole  catholic  church,  in  all  ages  and  places 
all  the  world  over.  Here  are  none  of  those  private  opinions 
and  controverted  points  which  have  so  ong  disturbed  the 
church,  and  serve  only  to  perplex  men's  minds,  and  take  them 
off  from  the  more  substantial  and  necessary  duties  of  religion, 
as  we  have  found  by  woeful  experience,  .which  our  church 
hath  taken  all  possible  care  to  prevent,  by  inserting  no  other 
articles  of  faith  into  the  Catechism  which  her  members  are  to 
learn,  than  what  are  contained  in  this  Creed,  received  and  ap- 
proved of  by  the  whole  Christian  world ;  and  then  acquaint- 
ing them  what  they  chiefly  learn  in  it,  even  to  believe  in  God 
the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  whose 
name  they  were  christened,  and  therefore  must  continue  in 
this  faith,  or  cease  to  be  Christians. 

The  other  thing  which  they  who  are  baptized  promise,  is, 
that  they  will  keep  God's  commandments,  which  therefore  are 
next  taught  in  the  Catechism,  without  any  mixture  of  human 
inventions  or  constitutions  :  those  Ten  Commandments,  which 
the  supreme  Lawgiver  himself  proclaimed  upon  mount  Sinai, 
and  afterwards  wrote  with  his  own  finger  upon  two  tables  of 
stone.  These  they  are  all  bound  to  learn,  because  they  are 
bound  to  keep  them  all,  as  they  will  answer  it  at  the  last  day, 
when  all  mankind  shall  be  judged  by  them. 

But  no  man  can  keep  these  commandments  without  God's 
special  grace,  which  we  have  no  ground  to  expect,  without 
praying  to  him  for  it.  And  therefore  children  are  in  the  next 
place  taught  how  to  pray  according  to  that  form  which  Christ 
himself  composed,  and  commanded  us  to  say,  whensoever  we 
pray,  Luke  xi.  2.  And  as  he  who  believes  all  that  is  in  the 
Apostles'  Creed,  believes  all  that  he  need  believe  ;  and  he  that 
keeps  all  the  Ten  Commandments,  doth  all  that  he  need  to  do  ; 
so  he  that  prays  this  prayer  aright,  prays  for  all  things  which 
he  can  have  need  of:  so  that  in  this  short  Catechism,  which 
children  of  five  years  old  may  learn,  they  are  taught  all  that  is 
needful  for  them,  either  to  believe,  or  do,  or  pray  for. 

The  last  part  of  the  Catechism  is  concerning  the  two  sacra- 
ments which  Christ  hath  ordained  in  his  church,  as  generally 
necessary  to  salvation  ;  that  is  to  say,  Baptism,  and  the  Lord's 
Supper :  both  which  our  church  hath  there  explained  with 
such  extraordinary  prudence  and  caution,  as  to  take  in  all  that 
is  necessary  to  be  known  of  either  of  them,  without  touching 
upon  any  of  the  disputes  that  have  been  raised  about  them,  to 
the  great  prejudice  of  the  Christian  religion. 

Seeing  therefore  this  Catechism  is  so  full,  that  it  contains  all 
P  2 


1 74  Thoughts  upon 

that  any  man  needs  to  know,  and  yet  so  short,  that  a  child  may 
learn  it :  I  do  not  see  how  parents  can  bring  up  their  children 
in  the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  better  than  by  in- 
structing them  in  it.  I  do  not  say,  by  teaching  them  only  to 
say  it  by  rote,  but  by  instructing  them  in  it,  so  that  they  may 
understand,  as  soon  and  as  far  as  they  are  capable,  the  true 
sense  and  meaning  of  all  the  words  and  phrases  in  every  part 
of  it ;  for  which  purpose  it  will  be  necessary  to  observe  these 
rules. 

First,  you  must  begin  betime,  before  your  children  have  got 
any  ill  habits,  which  may  be  easily  prevented,  but  are  not  so 
easily  cured.  When  children  are  baptized,  being  born  again 
cf  water  and  of  the  Spirit,  as  the  guilt  of  their  original  sin  is 
washed  away  in  the  later  of  regeneration,  so  that  it  will  never 
be  imputed  to  them,  unless  it  break  forth  afterwards  into  ac- 
tual transgressions ;  so  they  receive  also  the  Spirit  of  God  to 
prevent  all  such  eruptions,  by  enabling  them  to  resist  the  tempta- 
tions of  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  to  believe  and  serve 
God  according  as  they  then  promised  ;  so  far  at  least,  that  sin 
shall  not  have  dominion  over  them,  that  they  should  obey  it  in  the 
lusts  thereof,  seeing  now  they  are  not  under  the  law,  but  under 
the  grace  of  Christ,  Rom.  vi.  12.  14.  But  that  the  seeds  of 
grace  which  were  then  sown  in  their  hearts  may  not  be  lost  or 
stifled,  but  grow  up  to  perfection;  great  care  must  be  taken  that 
they  may  be  taught  so  soon  as  they  are  capable  to  discern  be- 
tween good  and  evil,  to  avoid  the  evil  and  do  the  good,  and  to 
believe  and  live  as  they  promised,  when  they  were  endued  with 
grace  to  do  it.  Hast  thou  children  ?  saith  the  Son  of  Sirach, 
instruct  them,  and  boio  down  their  neck  from  their  youth,  Ecclus. 
vii.  23.  Give  thy  son  no  liberty  in  his  youth,  and  wink  not  at. 
his  follies.  Bow  down  his  neck  while  he  is  young,  and  beat  him 
en  the  sides  while  he  is  a  child ;  lest  he  wax  stubborn,  and  be  dis- 
obedient unto  thee,  and  so  bring  sorrow  to  thine  heart,  chap.  xxx. 
11,  12.  Whereas  he  that  gathereth  instruction  from  his  youth, 
shall  find  wisdom  till  his  old  age,  chap.  vi.  18.  According  to 
that  of  the  wise  man  ;  Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  that  he  should 
go;  and  when  he  is  old,  he  ivill  not  depart  from  it,  Prov.  xxii.  6. 
As  Timothy  from  a  child  had  known  the  holy  Scriptures,  2  Tim. 
iii.  15.  And  that  was  the  reason  that  he  was  so  expert  in  them 
when  he  became  a  man  ;  which  therefore  that  your  children 
may  also  be,  the  first  thing  they  learn  must  be  their  Catechism, 
where  they  are  taught  all  the  great  truths  and  duties  that  are 
revealed  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  as  necessary  to  salvation. 

But  how  can  such  parents  do  this  that  cannot  read,  nor  say 
the  Catechism  themselves  ?    This,  I  fear,  is  the  case  of  too 


Christian  Education.  175 

many  among  us.  There  are  many  who,  having  not  been 
[taught  to  read  when  they  were  young,  neglect  or  think  scorn 
[to  learn  it  afterwards,  and  so  lose  all  the  benefit  and  comfort 
which  they  might  receive  by  reading  of  the  holy  Scriptures : 
but  this,  I  confess,  is  not  so  necessary,  especially  in  our  church, 
where  the  holy  Scriptures  are  so  constantly  read  in  public ; 
I  that  if  people  would  as  constantly  come  and  hearken  to  them, 
j  they  might  be  wise  unto  salvation,  although  they  cannot  read, 
as  few  heretofore  could,  at  least  in  the  primitive  times,  when, 
notwithstanding  they  attained  to  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  of 
their  duty  to  him,  as  well  as  if  they  had  been  the  greatest 
I  scholars  in  the  world.  But  then,  considering  that  they  could 
\  not  read,  they  supplied  that  defect  by  attending  more  diligent- 
ly to  what  they  heard  out  of  God's  holy  word,  and  laying  it 
up  in  their  hearts,  so  that  they  understood  all  the  principles  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  were  able  to  instruct  their  children 
in  the  same,  as  well  as  if  they  could  read.  But  this  is  not  our 
case  ;  for  now  there  are  many  who  can  neither  read,  nor  so 
much  as  say  the  Catechism,  having  never  learned  it  themselves, 
and  therefore  cannot  possibly  teach  it  their  children.  Such  as 
the  Apostle  speaks  of,  who  when,  for  the  time,  they  ought  to  be 
teachers,  they  have  need  that  one  teach  them  again,  which  be 
the  first  principles  of  the  oracles  of  God,  and  are  become  such 
as  have  need  of  milk,  and  not  of  strong  meat,  Heb.  v.  1 2.  And 
what  must  such  do  ?  They  certainly,  as  the  tender  their  own 
good,  must  be  doubly  diligent  in  the  use  of  all  means  that  may 
tend  to  their  edification  and  instruction  :  and  as  they  desire 
the  good  of  their  children,  they  must  send  them  to  school,  or 
provide  some  other  person  to  teach  them  ;  which  if  the  parents 
neglect  to  do,  the  godfathers  and  godmothers  of  every  child 
should  put  them  in  mind  of  it,  and  see  that  the  child  be  taught, 
so  soon  as  he  is  able  to  learn,  what  a  solemn  vow,  promise, 
and  profession  he  made  by  them  at  his  baptism.  And  that  he 
may  know  these  things  the  better,  they  must  call  upon  him  to 
hear  sermons  ;  and  chiefly  they  must  provide  that  he  may  learn 
the  Creed,  the  Lord's  Prayer,  and  the  Ten  Commandments  in 
the  vulgar  tongue,  and  all  other  things  which  a  Christian  ought 
to  know  and  believe  to  his  soul's  health,  as  they  are  contained 
in  the  Church  Catechism,  and  then  to  bring  them  to  the  bishop 
to  be  confirmed  by  him. 

But  for  that  purpose,  when  children  have  been  taught  the 
Catechism,  they  must  be  sent  to  the  minister  or  curate  of  the 
parish  where  they  live,  that  he  may  examine  and  instruct  them 
in  it :  examine  whether  they  can  say  it,  and  instruct  them  so 
as  to  make  them  understand  it.     For  though  the  words  be  all 


176  Thoughts  upon 

as  plain  as  they  can  be  well  made,  yet  the  things  signified  by 
those  words  are  many  of  them  so  high  that  it  cannot  be  ex- 
pected that  children  should  reach  and  apprehend  them  without  1] 
help :  which  therefore  they  must  go  to  their  minister  for,  whose  I 
duty  and  office  it  is  to  acquaint  them  with  the  full  sense  and  j 
meaning  of  every  word,  what  is  signified  by  it,  and  what  ground  j 
they  have  to  believe  it  is  God's  holy  word.  But  to  do  this  to 
any  purpose,  requires  more  time  than  is  commonly  allowed  for 
it  in  our  days :  and  that  is  one  great  reason  there  are  so  few 
among  us  that  are  built  up,  as  they  ought  to  be,  in  their  most 
holy  faith.  Many  refuse  or  neglect  to  send  their  children  to 
be  catechised  at  all ;  and  they  who  send  them,  send  them  so 
little,  and  for  so  little  a  time,  that  it  is  morally  impossible  they 
should  be  much  the  better  for  it :  as  many  have  found  by  ex- 
perience ;  who,  although  in  their  childhood  they  were  taught 
the  Catechism,  and  could  say  it  readily,  yet  having  not  been 
sufficiently  instructed  in  it,  they  afterwards  forgot  it  again,  and 
knew  no  more  than  as  if  they  had  never  learnt  it.  I  wish  this 
be  not  the  case  of  too  many  parents.  Wherefore  that  this 
great  work  may  be  done  effectually,  so  as  to  answer  its  end, 
as  children  should  begin  as  soon  as  ever  they  are  able  to  learn 
the  Catechism,  and  go  on  by  degrees  till  they  can  say  it  per- 
fectly by  heart ;  so  when  they  can  do  that,  they  are  still  to 
continue  to  be  instructed  in  it  all  along,  till  they  understand 
it  all  so  well,  as  to  be  fit  to  receive  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper,  which  usually  may  be  about  sixteen  or  seventeen  years 
of  age,  more  or  less,  according  to  their  several  capacities.  By 
this  means,  as  they  grow  in  years,  they  would  grow  also  in 
grace,  and  in  the  knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus 
Christ,  2  Pet.  iii.  18.  This  likewise  would  be  a  great  encou- 
ragement to  the  minister  to  take  pains  with  them,  when  they 
are  such  as  can  understand  what  he  saith  to  them,  and  will 
continue  under  his  care  and  conduct  till  they  are  settled  and 
grounded  in  the  faith,  and  have  their  senses  exercised  to  dis- 
cern between  good  and  evil ;  and  so  shall  be  every  way  quali- 
fied to  serve  God,  and  do  their  duty  to  him  in  that  state  of  life, 
to  which  he  shall  be  pleased  afterwards  to  call  them,  upon  earth, 
and  then  to  go  to  heaven. 

If  this  could  once  be  brought  about  throughout  the  king- 
dom, that  all  children  that  are  born  and  bred  up  in  it,  were 
thus  fully  instructed  in  the  knowledge  of  Christ,  and  of  that 
religion  which  he  hath  revealed  to  the  world,  till  they  are  fit 
for  the  holy  communion,  and  ready  to  engage  in  the  affairs  of 
the  world,  the  next  generation  would  be  much  better  than  this, 
and  Christianity  would  then  begin  to  flourish  again,  and  ap- 


Christian  Education.  177 

pear  in  its  native  beauty  and  lustre.  And  verily,  whatsoever 
some  may  think,  such  especially  as  were  never  catechised 
themselves,  this  is  as  great  and  necessary  a  duty  as  any  that 
is  required  in  all  the  Bible.  For  God  himself,  by  his  apostle, 
expressly  commands  all  parents  to  bring  up  their  children  in 
the  nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord;  that  is,  as  I  have 
showed,  to  catechise  or  instruct  them  in  the  principles  of  the 
doctrine  of  our  Lord  Christ.  And  therefore  they  who  do  it  not, 
live  in  the  breach  of  a  known  law,  yea,  of  many  laws.  There 
being  many  places  in  God's  holy  word,  where  the  same  thing 
is  commanded  in  other  terms  by  Almighty  God  himself,  saying, 
These  words  which  I  command  thee  this  day,  shall  be  in  thy 
heart,  and  thou  shalt  teach  them  diligently  unto  thy  children, 
Deut.  vi.  7.  And  again,  Therefore  shall  ye  lay  up  these  words  in 
our  heart,  and  in  your  soul,  and  bind  them  for  a  sign  upon  your 
hand,  that  they  may  be  as  frontlets  between  your  eyes,  and  ye 
shall  teach  them  your  children,  chap.  xi.  18,  19.  So  also,  chap, 
iv.  10.  This  is  thai,  which  he  commands  also  by  the  wise  man, 
Train  up  a  child  in  the  way  lie  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he 
mill  not  depart  from  it,  Pro  v.  xxii.  6.  The  word  in  the  origi- 
nal which  we  translate,  train  up,  signifies  also  to  dedicate  or 
devote  a  child  to  the  services  of  God,  by  instructing  him  how 
to  do  it,  and  exercising  him  continually  in  it ;  and  therefore  in 
the  margin  of  our  Bibles  it  is  translated,  catechise  a  child :  so 
that  we  have  here  both  the  necessity  and  usefulness  of  this  duty: 
the  necessity,  in  that  it  is  commanded  to  train  up,  or  catechise, 
a  child  in  the  ways  of  God  ;  and  the  usefulness,  in  that  what  a 
child  is  thus  taught,  will  remain  with  him  all  his  life  long. 

Seeing  therefore  that  God  hath  laid  so  strict  a  command 
upon  all  parents,  to  bring  up  their  children  in  the  knowledge 
of  himself,  and  of  their  duty  to  him,  they  can  expect  no  other, 
but  that  he  should  take  particular  notice  whether  they  do  it  or 
not ;  and  reward  or  punish  them  accordingly.  As  we  see  in 
Abraham,  what  a  special  kfndness  had  God  for  him  upon  this 
account  ?  Shall  I  hide  from  him,  said  the  Lord,  that  thing 
which  I  do  ?  Seeing  that  Abraham  shall  surely  become  a  great 
and  mighty  nation,  and  all  the  nations  upon  earth  shall  be 
blessed  in  him.  But  why  had  he  such  an  extraordinary  favour 
for  Abraham  above  all  other  men  ?  God  himself  gives  us  the 
reason  of  it,  saying,  For  I  know  that  he  will  command  his  chil- 
dren and  his  household  after  Mm,  and  they  shall  keep  the  way 
of  the  Lord,  Gen.  xviii.  19.  This  was  the  reason  that  Abra- 
ham was  so  much  in  favour,  that  he  was  called  the  friend  of 
God,  James  ii.  23. 

And  how  much  God  is  displeased  with  parents  neglecting  to 


178  Thoughts  upon 

bring  up  their  children  in  his  true  faith  and  fear,  and  suffering 
them  to  grow  up  and  go  on  in  a  course  of  vice  and  profane- 
ness,  appears  sufficiently  from  that  severe  judgment  which  he 
inflicted  upon  Eli  and  his  whole  house  for  it,  saying  to  Samuel, 
For  I  have  told  him,  even  Eli,  that  J  will  judge  his  house  for 
ever,  for  the  iniquity  which  he  knoweth,  because  his  sons  made 
themselves  vile,  and  he  restraineth  them  not.  And  therefore  I 
have  sworn  to  the  house  of  Eli,  that  the  iniquity  of  Eli's  house 
shall  not  be  purged  with  sacrifice  nor  offering  for  ever,  1  Sam. 
iii.  13,  14.  The  execution  of  which  dreadful  judgment  is  left 
upon  record  in  the  holy  Scriptures,  as  a  standing  monument 
and  caution  to  all  parents,  to  take  heed  how  they  educate  their 
children. 

Be  sure  the  saints  of  God  in  all  ages  have  taken  as  much 
care  to  bring  up  their  children  well,  as  to  live  well  themselves  ; 
making  as  much  conscience  of  this,  as  of  any  duty  whatsoever 
which  they  owe  to  God.  That  the  children  which  he  hath 
given  them  may  answer  his  end  in  giving  them  ;  that  they  may 
not  be  insignificant  ciphers  in  the  world,  or  as  fruitless  trees, 
that  serve  only  to  cumber  the  ground,  but  that  they  may  serve 
and  glorify  God  whilst  they  are  upon  earth,  so  as  to  be  meet  to 
be  partakers  of  the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light. 

And  verily  all  parents  would  make  this  their  continual  care 
and  study,  if  they  minded  either  their  own  or  their  children's 
good.  Many  complain,  not  without  cause,  that  their  children 
are  disobedient,  and  undutiful  to  them  ;  but  the  cause  is  chiefly 
in  themselves.  When  they  have  neglected  their  duty  to  their 
children,  how  can  they  expect  their  children  should  perform 
their  duty  to  them  ?  They  were  never  taught  it,  how  then 
can  they  do  it  ?  If  therefore  they  prove  stubborn  and  obsti- 
nate, if  they  give  themselves  up  to  all  manner  of  vice  and  wick- 
edness ;  if  instead  of  a  comfort  they  be  a  grief  and  trouble  to 
their  parents  ;  their  parents  must  blame  themselves  for  it ;  and 
when  they  come  to  reflect  upon  it,  their  sin  in  neglecting  their 
duty  to  God  and  their  children  in  their  education,  will  be  a 
greater  trouble  to  them  than  any  their  children  can  give  them. 
Whereas  when  parents  bring  up  their  children  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  if  their  children  notwithstanding 
happen  to  miscarry  afterwards,  they  have  this  to  comfort  them, 
that  they  did  their  duty,  and  have  nothing  to  answer  for  upon 
that  account. 

But  what  a  mighty  advantage  would  it  be  to  the  children 
themselves,  to  be  thus  continually  put  in  mind  of  their  baptis- 
mal vow,  the  articles  of  their  faith,  the  duties  of  religion, 
and  what  else  is  contained  in  the  Catechism,  from  their  child- 


Christian  Education.  179 

Jhood  all  along  till  they  come  to  be  men  or  women  !  Their 
iminds  would  be  then  filled  with  such  divine  truths,  and  with 
jso  great  a  sense  of  their  duty,  that  there  would  be  no  room 
'left  for  heresy  or  sin  to  enter,  at  least  not  so  as  to  get  posses- 
sion, and  exercise  any  dominion  there.  The  first  impres- 
sions that  are  made  upon  us  are  not  soon  worn  out,  but  usually 
remain  as  long  as  we  live.  As  the  wise  man  observes,  Train 
up  a  child  in  the  way  he  should  go,  and  when  he  is  old  he  will 
not  depart  from  it,  Prov.  xxii.  6.  When  one  hath  been  all 
along  from  his  childhood  brought  up  in  the  knowledge  of  God 
and  his  holy  will,  it  will  stick  by  him  so  as  to  be  a  constant 
check  upon  him,  to  keep  him  within  the  compass  of  his  duty 
in  all  ordinary  cases  ;  and  if  any  thing  extraordinary  happen 
to  draw  him  aside,  it  will  make  him  restless  and  uneasy,  till 
he  hath  recovered  himself,  and  got  into  the  right  way  again  ; 
and  so  it  will  either  keep  him  innocent  or  make  him  penitent. 
In  short,  by  the  blessing  of  God  attending,  as  it  usually  doth, 
this  great  duty,  when  it  is  conscientiously  performed,  is  the 
best  means  that  parents  can  use,  whereby  to  breed  up  their 
children  for  heaven,  to  make  them  fellow-citizens  with  the 
saints,  and  of  the  household  of  God,  both  in  this  world,  and 
for  ever. 

Wherefore,  if  we  have  any  regard  either  to  our  own,  or  to 
our  children's  eternal  welfare,  let  us  set  upon  this  duty  in  good 
earnest ;  let  us  bring  up  our  children  so  long  in  the  nurture 
and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  till  they  fully  know  him,  and  all 
that  he  would  have  them  believe  and  do,  that  they  may  be  sav- 
ed :  but  we  must  be  sure  to  teach  them  by  our  example  as  well 
as  instructions  ;  we  must  not  tell  them  one  thing,  and  do  anoth- 
er ourselves  ;  but  show  them  how  to  keep  the  faith  and  laws 
of  God,  by  keeping  them  ourselves  before  their  eyes,  all  the 
while  we  live  together  upon  earth ;  that  when  we  are  all  got, 
one  after  another,  out  of  this  troublesome  and  naughty  world, 
we  and  our  children  may  at  last  meet  together  in  heaven,  and 
there  praise  and  glorify  Almighty  God,  we  for  them,  and  they 
for  us,  and  all  for  his  grace  and  truth  in  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord. 

After  this  general  instruction  in  the  principles  of  our  holy 
religion,  it  will  be  necessary,  as  soon  as  our  young  Christian 
is  capable  of  it,  to  inform  him  more  particularly  in  the  nature 
of  God,  and  the  great  mystery  of  the  Trinity,  into  which  we 
are  all  baptized  ;  which  therefore  shall  be  my  next  subject. 


THOUGHTS 


UPON 


THE  KNOWLEDGE  OF  GOD. 


Though  religion  in  genera]  be  a  thing  that  all  men  naturally 
agree  in,  yet  there  is  nothing!  I  think,  thai  men  differ  bo  much 
ibout  the  particular  acts  and  exercise  of  it  :  for  all  na- 
tions in  the  world  have   some  religion  ;  but  there  is  scarce  two 
amongst  them  all  that  have  the  same  ;  yea,  in  one  and  the  same 
nation  too,  there  are  divers  modes  of  religion  professed  and 
practised.     .No  nation  or  country  in  the  world  hut  will  afford 
us  instances  of  this;   and  our   own,   I  think,  as  many   as  any 
other  whatsoever;    for  could  we  but  cast  our  eyes  into  the  se- 
veral corners  of  this  land,  at  this   very  moment,   what  variety 
might  we  observe  in  these  acts  which  the  several  parties  among 
us  account  to  he  religious!    Some  wo  should  see  sitting  silently 
for  a  while  together,  without  either  speaking,  or  hearing  of  a 
word  spoken  ;  until  at  length  up  .-tarts  a  man  or  a  woman,  or 
some  Mich  thim:*  and  entertains  them  with  a  discourse  made 
up  "l"  censures  and  .malice,  blasphemy  and  nonsense;  and  this 
is   all   the   religion   they   pretend  to.     Others  we  should  find 
crowded  together  in  several  corners,  sometimes  praying,  some- 
times discoursing,  as  it  were,  sometimes  arguing  the  case  with 
Almighty  God,  and  acquainting  him  with  what  happens  in  the 
world,  and  that  with  as  much  confidence  and  malapertness,  as 
if  he  was  their  fellow-creature ;   and  then  very  gravely  walk 
home,  and  please  themselves  with  a  vain  conceit  that  they  are 
more  religious  than  their  neighbours.     Another  sort  of  people 
there  are  amongst  us,  who  are  as  superstitious  as  the  former 
were  slovenly  and  irreverent  in  their  devotions:  for  these  hav- 
ing been  sprinkled  with  a  little  holy  water,  and  having  per- 
formed their  obeisance  to  a  crucifix  or  picture,  presently  fall 
a  pattering  over  Ave  Maria's  and  Pater  Nostcrs  to  themselves, 
as  fast  as  they  can  ;  whilst  the  priest,  in  the  mean  while,  says 
something  too,  but  the  people  generally  know  not  what  it  is, 


Knowledge  of  God.  181 

nor  indeed  what  themselves  say,  it  being  all  in  an  unknown 
tongue.  But  howsoever,  though  they  know  not  what  they  say, 
the]  think  that  God  doth,  and  therefore  satisfy  themselves  that 
they  have  said  something,  though  they  know  not  what,  and 
think  that  God  is  well  pleased  with  what  they  have  done,  be- 
cause themselves  are  so. 

Others  there  are,  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  far  more 
than  all  the  rest,  in  this  nation,  who  present  themselves  before 
the  great  Creator  and  Possessor  of  the  world,  in  that  solemn 
and  reverent  manner  as  the  constitutions  of  our  church  direct, 
humbly  confessing  their  manifold  sins  against  God,  begging 
mercy  and  pardon  from  him,  imploring  his  favour,  and  prais- 
ing his  name  for  all  the  expressions  of  his  undeserved  love  to 
mankind :  and  all  this  in  our  vulgar  tongue,  that  we  all  under- 
stand, and  so  perform  a  reasonable  service  unto  God. 

And,  verily,  if  we  consider  the  institution  itself,  of  that  re- 
ligious worship  which  we  thus  perform,  it  is  certainly  the  best 
that  ever  was  prescribed  by  any  church,  as  being  most  conso- 
nant to  the  general  rules  of  devotion  laid  down  in  Scripture ; 
as  also  most  conformable  to  the  discipline  and  practice  of  the 
primitive  church.  But  we  must  not  think  that  we  serve  God  a- 
right,  because  we  be  present  with  them  that  do  so.  I  do  not 
Soubt  but  that  there  are  many  amongst  us,  who  sincerely  en- 
deavour to  worship  God,  whensoever  they  present  themselves 
before  him  in  public.  I  wish  that  all  of  us  would  do  so.  But 
we  must  still  remember,  that  we  should  serve  the  Lord  else- 
where as  well  as  at  church,  and  on  all  other  days  as  well  as 
upon  the  Lord's  day  :  and  that  if  we  would  be  truly  religious, 
our  whole  man  must  be  devoted  to  the  service  of  God,  yea, 
and  our  whole  time  too.  We  must  not  think  that  it  is  enough 
to  do  something,  but  we  must  do  all  things  that  are  required 
of  us,  which  notwithstanding  we  can  never  do,  unless  we  know 
both  that  God  whom  we  ought  to  serve,  and  that  service  which 
we  ought  to  perform  unto  him.  And  therefore  David  directs 
his  son  to  the  right  and  only  way  to  true  religion,  saying,  1 
Chron.  xxviii.  9.  And  thou  Solomon  my  son,  know  thou  the 
God  of  thy  father,  and  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and 
with  a  willing  mind :  which  words,  did  we  apply  them  to  our- 
selves, would,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  put  us  upon  sincere 
endeavours  after  real  and  universal  obedience  to  all  the  com- 
mands of  God  :  and  persuade  us  not  to  content  ourselves  with 
vain  pretences  to,  and  professions  of,  religion,  as  most  do  ; 
but  strive  to  live  up  unto  our  profession,  and  carry  and  behave 
ourselves  so  as  becometh  those  who  desire  to  be  religious,  and 
to  serve  God  in  good  earnest.     Which  that  we  may  do,  let  us 

O 


Thoughts  upon  the 

re  the  rule  and  method  winch  David  bere  pre* 

:i  :  finl  to  know  (>oit  and  thru  to  iCTVC  him  with  a  /" 
i i*l  a  witting  mind. 

I    ball  n< >t  trouble  the  reader  with  inj  critical  division  of 
the  words,  for  thej  naturally  divide  themselves  into  two  p 
t,  That  we  should  know,  and  then  that  we  ihould  * 

nth  it  }<•  rft  Ct  heart,  and  a  witting  mind . 

I        111       n  with  the  first!  not  onlj  kx  I  placedf 

but  1"  J  must  precede  the  second  ;  it  being 

ight  unl<  n  we  know  him  i 
for  without  this  all  o  ill  be  hut  like  the  altar  which 

tknown  God.  By  which  in- 
scription! '  the  world,  that  they  knew  that 
•  ..I,  but  tl  knew  not  that 
God  whom  thej  ought  I  But  that  we  may  so  know 
him  a  ht,  I  -hall  tir-t  ihew  what  it  i-  of  God 
which              '  know,  in  oreV  r  to  our  -  rving  him  aright 

t  would  -         God  aright,  must  &#■ 
>'mi  he  i.w  II-  .  that  there  i-  such 

a   supreme  and  .'ill-'  Being  in  and   over   the  world  that 

!!  (Jed,  that   math  .  >  d   disposi 

thing  in  the  world,  :ii  !•<  -t  to  him  :  and  that  it 

i^  not  only  probable  that  there  ia  such  a  one,  hut  that  it  i<  the 
v  truth  in  the  world  ;  without  which, 
ertaintj .     lor  in- 
deed i\  God  waa  m  ■  could  boj  ho  alone  being  the 
ind  foundation  of  all  being  in  the  world,  yea,  and  of  all 
motioi           '                     Andth(  fry  ikmg  that  Uces, 

every  thing  that  is,  rod  to 

t  great  truth,  upon  which  all  the 
ipend  :  without  which  nothing  would  he  true,  much 

would  our  that  the  first  thing  t«>  be  done  in 

•ir  sen  uiLr  I  .  and 

lined  by  I 
ondly,  It  II  as 

what  he  is  in   him- 
n d  what  ;i  :    that  in  him-  whcU  he   i.v,  in 

ami  of  hin,  !  M  i.-don  . 

the  ocean  of  all  Lr"<>dn'  'i  of  all  happin*  38,  the 

principle  of  all  motion,  and  the  a  n        tion  of  all 

ctions  in  the  world;  whose  natur pure, 

per- 
fect, transcendent, and  incomprehensible, thai  the  more  we  think 
of  him,  the  more  we  contemplate    upon  him,  the   more   we 
and  admire  him,  the  more  we  may.      And  the  highest 


KnowUdg*    of  God. 

apprehensions  dial  we  can  bate  of  him  la  .-till  to  apprehend 
him  infinitely  higher  than  all  our  apprehension*  of  him.    And 

fore  that  man  best  knows  God,  that  knows  him  t<>  l- 
yond  ln<  knowledge  ;  and  that  knows  ho  can  never  know  him 
enough. 

But  we  must  know  too  what  be  is  to  us.  even  the  Author 
and  Giver  of  every  good  thing  we  have,  and  wh<>  in  himself  la 
whatsoever  we  can  desire  to  make  us  happy  j  and  therefore  it 
is  that  in  the  covenant  of  grace,  when  he  would  assure  us  that 
we  shall  have  all  things  that  we  can  enjoy,  he  onlj  promises 
to  be  our  God,  Heb.  riii.  10.  which  is  as  much 
sire,  and  indeed  as  himself  can  promise  ;  for  in  prom 
himself,  he  hath  promised  whatsoever  he  is,  whatsoever  he 
hath,  whatsoever  be  doth,  nay,  whatsoever  he  can  <!<>  as  ; 

And  thus  we  arc  to  look  upon  Cnn\  as   tin-   old;,  object  of  all 

true  happiness,  and  the  only  centre  wherein  all  the  desui 
inclinations  of  our  souls  can  n  st. 

Thirdly,  It  i<  nec<  know  th« 

and  perfections  which  be  bath  revealed  of  himself  in  Scrip- 
ture ;    that  be  hi  so  can  be  known  , 

owerful  ai  to  do  whatsoever  can  be  doiu  t  and 

glorious  in  himself,  that  we  have  all  j' 

kind  and  gracious  in  his  Son.   tliat  it  is  our  duty  also   to  tin-! 

m  him  :  bo  true  that  whatsoever  be 

sarth  it  od,  that  wbatsoevt  r  he  <1« »th  i.-  good,  \»  cause  he 

doth  it  ;  -  to  punish  <  rery  sin  that  i.-  committed,  and 

v<  t  bo  merciful,  a-  t<»  pardon  every  sinner  that  rep<  nt(  i!i  :  that 

Ik-  i-    pure  without    mixture    infinite   without    bouni 

without  r>  isting  n  ithoul  end,  and  every  w  a 

f<<t  without  comparison. 

fourthly.  We   iini-t  know   also   the   works  of  God,  what  he 

hath  done,  wherein  he  hath  manifested  himself  to  as.     But 

what  hath  God  done  !  or  rather,  what  hath  lie  not  don<  I 
was  he  that  raised  this  stately  fabric  of  the  world   we   live  in, 

out  of  the  womb  of  nothing.  It  was  he  that  extracted  light 
out  of  darkness,  beauty  and  perfection  out  of  a  contused  chaos. 
It  was  he  that  bedecked  the  glorious  canopy  of  heaven  with 
those  glittering  Bpanglee  the  stars.   It  was  he  that  commanded 

the  BUT!  to  run  hiscourse  by  day,  and  the  moon  to  rid.'  her  cir- 
cuit by  night  about  the  world,  to  Bhew  the  inhabitants  thereof 
the  glory  of  their  all-glorious  Maker.     It  was  he  that  hung 

the  earth  upon   nothing,  and  spread  upon   the    -  of  it  a 

curiou-  carpet,  embroidered  with  all  maimer.  Dot  of  painted, 
but  of  real  flowers,  and  plants,  and  trees.  It  was  lie  that  at 
first  produced  all  things  out  of  nothing  ;   and  it  is  he-  that  still 


184  Thoughts  upon  the 

preserves  all  things  in  their  being.  It  is  he  that  orders  the 
affairs  of  kingdoms,  manageth  the  intrigues  of  state,  directeth 
the  events  of  wars,  and  disposes  of  every  particular  person  as 
himself  sees  good.  In  a  word,  whatsoever  was  ever  made  in 
lieaven  above,  or  on  earth  beneath,  it  was  he  that  made  it ;  and 
whatsoever  is  still  done  in  heaven  above,  or  on  earth  beneath,  it 
is  he  that  doth  it,  so  that  nothing  ever  was,  or  is,  or  ever  will 
be,  or  can  be  done,  but  what  is  done  by  him,  as  the  first  and 
universal  cause  of  all  things. 

Fifthly,  It  is  necessary  also  to  know  so  as  to  believe,  that 
though  there  is  but  one  God,  yet  there  are  three  persons ;  all 
and  every  one  of  which  is  that  one  God.  I  do  not  say  it  is  ne- 
cessary to  understand  or  comprehend  this  mystery,  for  that  we 
cannot  do  ;  but  we  are  not  therefore  the  less  to  believe  it,  be- 
cause we  cannot  understand  it :  for  there  are  many  other 
things  in  divinity,  yea,  many  things  in  natural  philosophy,  and 
in  geometry  itself,  which  we  cannot  understand,  and  yet  for  all 
that,  both  know  and  believe  them  to  be  true.  But  how  much 
more  cause  have  we  to  believe  this,  which  God  himself  hath 
asserted  of  himself!  Nay,  and  besides  that,  we  have  the  same 
obligations  to  serve  and  honour  every  person,  as  we  have  to 
serve  and  honour  any  one  person  in  the  sacred  Trinity  ;  our 
Saviour  himself  having  expressly  told  us,  That  all  men  should 
honour  the  Son  even  as  they  honour  the  Father,  John  v.  23.  But 
that  we  cannot  do,  unless  we  believe  the  Son  to  be  God  as  well 
as  the  Father ;  and,  by  consequence,  unless  we  acknowledge 
this  fundamental  article  of  our  Christian  faith,  into  which  we 
are  all  baptized. 

Secondly,  We  must  consider  what  kind  of  knowledge  we 
ought  to  have  of  God,  in  reference  unto  our  serving  him  aright. 

For  we  must  not  think  that  it  is  enough  to  know  in  general 
that  there  is  a  God,  and  that  he  is  wise  and  powerful,  great 
and  glorious,  true  and  faithful,  good  and  gracious  ;  these  things 
a  man  may  know  in  general,  so  as  to  be  able  to  discourse  of 
them,  and  dispute  for  them  too,  and  yet  come  short  of  that 
knowledge  which  is  requisite  to  our  true  serving  of  God  :  which 
should  be  such  a  knowledge  as  will  not  only  swim  in  the  brain, 
but  sink  down  into  the  heart ;  whereby  a  man  is  possessed  with 
a  due  sense  of  those  things  he  knows,  so  that  he  doth  not  only 
know,  but  in  a  manner  feel  them  to  be  so.  Thus  David,  who, 
in  the  text,  calls  upon  his  son  to  know  the  God  of  his  fathers, 
intimates  elsewhere,  what  knowledge  he  means  ;  saying,  O 
taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good,  Psal.  xxxiv.  8.  Where 
we  may  observe,  how  he  requires  our  spiritual  senses  to  be 
employed  in  our  knowledge  of  God,  so  as  to  see  that  he  is 


Knowledge  of  God.  185 

good,  yea,  and  taste  it  too  ;  that  is,  feel  and  experience  it  in 
ourselves  ;  which  though  it  may  seem  a  paradox  to  many  of  us, 
yet  there  is  none  of  us  but  may  find  it  to  be  a  real  truth,  and 
attain  unto  it,  if  we  be  but  careful  and  constant  in  our  medi- 
tations upon  God,  and  sincere  in  performing  our  devotions  to 
him  :  for,  by  these  means,  our  notions  of  God  will  be  refined, 
our  conceptions  cleared,  and  our  affections,  by  consequence, 
so  moved  towards  him,  that  we  shall  taste  and  experience,  in 
ourselves,  as  well  as  know  from  others,  that  he  is  good,  and 
that  all  perfections  are  concentered  in  him. 

But  this  practical  and  experimental  knowledge  of  God,  doth 
necessarily  presuppose  the  other,  or  the  general  knowledge  of 
him,  so  as  to  be  acquainted  with  the  several  expressions  which 
God  in  Scripture  hath  made  use  of,  whereby  to  reveal  himself 
and  his  perfections  to  us  ;  as  when  he  is  pleased  to  call  him- 
self the  Almighty  God,  the  all-wise,  and  infinite,  the  just,  and 
gracious  God,  and  the  like  ;  or  to  say  of  himself,  /  am  that 
I  am;  that  is,  in  and  of  myself  eternal.  Unless  we  first  know 
that  these  and  such  like  expressions  belong  to  God,  and  what 
is  the  true  meaning  and  purport  of  them,  it  is  impossible  for 
us  to  arrive  at  that  knowledge  of  him,  which  is  necessary  to 
our  serving  him  aright. 

And  so  I  come  to  the  last  thing  to  be  considered  here  con- 
cerning the  knowledge  of  God,  even  that  it  is  necessary  to  our 
serving  him  ;  so  that  none  can  serve  him  that  does  not  first 
know  him,  and  therefore  that  the  method  as  well  as  matter  of 
David's  advice  is  here  observable,  know  thou  the  God  of  thy 
fathers,  and  serve  him ;  or,  first  know  him,  and  then  serve 
him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  a  willing  mind. 

And,  verily,  one  would  think  that  this  is  a  truth  so  clear,  so 
evident  of  itself,  that  it  needs  no  proof  or  demonstration  ;  for 
how  is  it  possible  for  us  to  know  how  to  serve  God,  unless  we 
first  know  that  God  whom  we  ought  to  serve  ?  For  all  our 
services  unto  God  should  be  both  proper  to  his  nature,  and  suit- 
able to  his  perfections  ;  and  therefore  unless  I  first  know  his 
nature  and  perfections,  how  can  T  adjust  my  services  to  them? 
As  for  example,  I  am  to  fear  his  greatness,  and  trust  on  his 
mercy,  and  rejoice  in  his  goodness,  and  desire  his  favour  :  but 
how  can  I  do  this,  unless  I  know  that  he  is  thus  great  and  mer- 
ciful, good  and  favourable  ? 

Moreover,  as  a  man  cannot  serve  God  when  he  hath  a  mind 
to  do  it,  so  neither  will  he  have  a  mind  or  heart  to  serve  him 
unless  he  first  knows  him.  For  the  motions  of  the  will  are  al- 
ways regulated  by  the  ultimate  dictates  of  the  practical  under- 
standing, so  that  a  man  chooses  or  refuses,  loves  or  hates,  de- 

Q  2 


186  Thoughts  upon  the 

sires  or  abhors,  according  as  he  knows  any  object  that  is  pre- 
sented to  him  to  be  good  or  evil.  And  therefore  how  can  I 
choose  God  as  my  chiefest  good,  unless  I  first  know  him  to  be 
so  ;  or  love  him  as  I  ought  above  all  things,  unless  I  first  know 
him  to  be  better  than  all  things  ;  or  perform  any  true  service 
to  him,  unless  I  first  know  him  to  be  such  a  one,  as  deserves 
to  have  true  service  performed  unto  him  ? 

Nay,  lastly,  nothing  that  we  do  can  be  accepted  as  a  service 
to  God,  unless  it  be  both  grounded  upon,  and  directed  by,  a 
right  knowledge  of  him.  God  would  not  accept  of  blind  sa- 
crifices under  the  Law  ;  much  less  will  he  accept  of  blind 
services  now  under  the  Gospel ;  and  therefore  he  expects 
and  requires  now,  that  whatsoever  we  do,  either  to  or 
for  him,  be  a  reasonable  service,  Rom.  xii.  1.  That  our 
souls  as  well  as  bodies,  yea,  and  the  rational  as  well  as  sensi- 
tive part,  be  employed  in  all  the  services  which  we  perform  to 
him  ;  which  certainly  cannot  be,  unless  we  first  know  him  ; 
so  that  there  is  an  indispensable  connection  betwixt  our  know- 
ing and  serving  God  ;  it  being  as  impossible  for  any  man  to 
serve  him,  that  doth  not  first  know  him,  as  it  is  to  know  him 
aright,  and  not  to  serve  him. 

But  however  indispensable  this  connection  be  in  its  own 
nature,  the  Church  of  Rome  can  make  a  shift  to  dispense 
with  it ;  yea,  so  far  as  to  assert,  that  ignorance  is  the  mo- 
ther of  devotion.  But  you  must  excuse  them,  for  they 
do  not  mean  by  devotion  as  we  do,  the  real  serving  of  God, 
but  only  the  performing  of  some  outward  services  to  him. 
And  such  a  kind  of  devotion,  I  confess,  ignorance  may  be  the 
mother  of:  but  a  man  must  be  grossly  ignorant  that  thinks  this 
to  be  devotion,  which  is  but  a  piece  of  pageantry,  a  mocking 
instead  of  serving  God.  And,  for  my  part,  I  cannot  but  trem- 
ble to  think  what  a  dismal,  what  a  dreadful  account  the  heads 
of  that  church  must  hereafter  give  for  daring  to  keep  the  peo- 
ple in  so  much  ignorance  as  they  do  ;  so  as  to  render  them  in- 
capable of  serving  God,  that  so  they  may  be  the  more  ready 
to  serve  the  church  ;  that  is,  the  interests  and  designs  of  the 
court  of  Rome. 

But  let  them  look  to  that ;  whilst  we,  in  the  mean  while, 
study  to  know  God  before  all  things  else,  considering, 

First,  God  therefore  made  us  that  we  might  know  him,  and 
that  we  might  know  that  he  made  us.  And  therefore  it  is  that 
he  hath  made  rational  creatures  capable  of  reflecting  upon  him 
that  made  us  so :  neither  did  he  only  make  us  at  first,  but  he 
still  preserves  us  ;  we  feed  daily  at  his  table,  and  live  upon  his 
bounty.     And  the  very  beasts,  that  any  of  us  keep,  know  those 


Knowledge  of  God.  187 

that  keep  them ;  and  shall  we  be  more  brutish  than  brutes 
themselves,  and  not  know  him  that  keeps  and  maintains  us  ? 
O  how  justly  may  God  then  call  heaven  and  earth  to  witness 
against  us,  as  he  did  once  against  his  people  Israel !  Isa.  i.  2, 3, 4. 

Secondly,  There  is  none  of  us  but  have  attained  to  know- 
ledge in  other  things  :  some  of  us  have  searched  into  arts  and 
sciences,  others  are  acquainted  with  several  languages ;  none 
of  us  but  are,  or  would  be,  expert  in  the  affairs  of  this  world, 
and  understand  the  mysteries  of  our  several  trades  and  callings  ; 
what,  and  shall  he  alone,  by  whom  we  know  other  things,  be 
himself  unknown  to  us  ?  What  is,  if  this  be  not,  a  just  cause, 
wherefore  God  should  infatuate  and  deprive  us  of  all  our  know- 
ledge in  other  things  ?  seeing  we  labour  more  to  know  them 
than  him  from  whom  we  receive  our  knowledge. 

Thirdly,  Ignorance  of  God  is  itself  one  of  the  greatest  sins 
that  we  can  be  guilty  of,  and  which  God  is  most  angry  for, 
Hos.  iv.  4.  And  there  God  himself  imputes  the  destruction  of 
his  people  to  the  want  of  knowledge,  ver.  6.  Nay,  and  it  is  that 
sin  too  that  makes  way  for  all  the  rest.  For  what  is  the  reason 
that  many  so  frequently  blaspheme  God's  name,  slight  his  ser- 
vice, transgress  his  laws,  and  incense  his  wrath  against  them, 
but  merely  because  they  do  not  know  him,  how  great,  how 
glorious,  how  terrible  a  God  he  is  ?  For  did  they  but  thus  right- 
ly know  him,  they  could  not  but  regard  the  thoughts  of  doing  any 
thing  that  is  offensive  to  him  ;  and  thefore  the  true  knowledge  of 
God  would  be  the  best  security  and  the  most  sovereign  anti- 
dote in  the  world  against  the  infection  of  sin,  and  the  preva- 
lency  of  temptations  over  us ;  neither  would  it  only  preserve 
us  from  sin,  but  put  us  upon  duty  and  service,  and  direct  us 
also  in  the  performance  of  it.  Insomuch  that  the  hardest  duty 
will  be  easy  to  one  that  knows  God  ;  the  easiest  will  be  hard 
to  one  that  knows  him  not.  Hard,  did  I  say  ?  Yea,  and  im- 
possible too ;  for  although  a  man  may  know  God,  and  yet  not 
serve  him,  it  is  impossible  that  any  man  should  serve  God  un- 
less he  knows  him  ;  knowledge  itself  being  both  the  first  duty 
that  we  owe  to  God,  and  the  foundation  of  all  the  rest. 

And  therefore,  to  conclude,  if  any  desire  to  perform  the 
vow  they  made  in  their  baptism,  to  love  and  fear,  to  honour 
and  obey  the  eternal  God  that  made  them  ;  if  any  desire  to  be 
Christians  indeed,  and  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ;  if 
any  did  desire  to  trust  on  the  promises,  and  observe  the  pre- 
cepts of  the  great  Creator  and  Possessor  of  the  world,  to  live 
above  the  snares  of  death,  and  to  antedate  the  joys  of  heaven ; 
if  any  desire  to  live  the  life,  and  to  die  the  death  of  the  right- 
eous, to  serve  God  here,  so  as  to  enjoy  him  hereafter  ;  let  all 


188  Thoughts  upon  the 

such  but  study  the  Scriptures,  and  frequent  the  public  ordinan- 
ces ;  be  constant  and  sincere  in  prayer  and  meditation,  ne- 
glecting no  opportunity  of  acquainting  themselves  with  God, 
but  make  use  of  all  means  possible,  to  get  their  hearts  posses- 
sed with  a  reverential  apprehension  of  God's  greatness  and 
glory,  and  with  a  due  sense  of  his  goodness  and  perfections, 
and  their  work  will  soon  be  done  ;  for  if  they  thus  know  God, 
they  will  serve  him  too  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  a  willing  mind. 

We  have  seen  how  we  ought  to  know  God  ;  we  are  now  to 
consider  how  we  ought  to  serve  him  ;  without  which,  indeed, 
our  knowledge  of  him  will  avail  us  nothing.  For,  as  the  a- 
postle  argues,  though  I  speak  with  tongues  of  men  and  angels, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass,  and  a 
tinkling  cymbal,  t  Cor.  xiii.  1 .  So  here  :  though  we  should 
have  the  highest  notions  and  speculations  in  divinity  that  men 
or  angels  ever  had  ;  though  we  should  understand  the  highest 
mysteries  in  religion,  and  dive  into  the  profoundest  secrets  of 
Christian  philosophy  ;  though  we  should  excel  the  greatest 
Schoolmen,  and  the  most  learned  doctors  that  ever  lived  ;  and 
were  able  to  baffle  heresies,  dispute  error  and  schism  out  of  the 
Christian  Church,  and  evince  the  truth  of  the  Articles  of  our 
faith  by  more  than  mathematical  demonstrations  ;  yet  if  after 
all  this  our  knowledge  be  only  notional,  not  moving  our  affec- 
tions, nor  putting  us  upon  the  practice  of  what  we  know,  it 
is  but  as  sounding  brass,  and  a  tinkling  cymbal ;  it  may  make 
a  noise  in  the  world,  and  get  us  applause  amongst  men,  but 
it  will  stand  us  in  no  stead  at  all  before  the  eternal  God ;  yea, 
it  will  rise  up  in  judgment  against  us  another  day,  and  sink  us 
lower  into  the  abyss  of  torments.  And  therefore,  though  men 
may,  God  doth  not  look  upon  this  as  the  true  knowledge  of 
himself.  Neither  can  any  one  be  properly  said  to  know  God 
that  doth  not  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  a  willing  mind. 
And  therefore  having  discoursed  of  that  knowledge  which  is 
necessary  to  our  serving  God,  I  shall  now  endeavour  to  show, 
how  we  ought  to  serve  God  according  to  our  knowledge. 

In  speaking  unto  which,  I  must  beg  the  reader's  most  se- 
rious and  Christian  attention,  as  to  a  matter  which  concerns 
our  lives ;  yea,  our  eternal  lives  in  another  world  :  I  hope  there 
is  none  of  those  that  pretends  to  instruct,  so  brutish  and  athe- 
istical, as  not  to  desire  to  serve  God  :  none  so  proud  and  seif- 
conceited,  as  to  think  they  serve  him  well  enough  already,  or 
at  least  know  how  to  do  it.  I  write  only  to  such  as  desire  to 
be  instructed,  read  books  of  practical  religion  with  no  other 
design  but  to  serve  God,  and  to  learn  how  to  serve  him  better. 
And  if  this  be  our  only  design,  as  I  hope  it  is,  let  us  manifest 


Knowledge  of  God.  189 

it  to  the  world,  and  to  our  consciences,  by  attending  to,  and 
fixing  what  we  read  upon,  our  own  hearts.  For  I  may  ven- 
ture to  say,  that  this  is  the  noblest  and  most  necessary  subject 
that  I  can  write,  or  any  one  can  read  of;  and  that  which,  if 
seriously  weighed,  rightly  considered,  and  truly  practised,  will 
most  certainly  bring  us  to  the  highest  happiness  which  our 
natures  are  capable  of,  or  our  persons  were  at  first  designed 
for. 

Now,  for  our  clearer  proceeding  in  a  matter  of  so  great  im- 
portance, we  will  first  consider,  what  it  is  to  serve  God  ?  A 
question  very  necessary  to  be  treated  of  and  resolved,  because 
of  the  general  mistakes  that  are  in  the  world  about  it :  many 
people  fancying  the  service  of  God  to  consist  in  some  few  parti- 
cular acts  ;  as  in  saying  their  prayers,  reading  the  Scriptures, 
going  to  church,  and  giving  an  alms  now  and  then  to  the  poor, 
especially  if  they  be  but  zealous  and  resolute  in  the  defence  of 
the  party  or  faction  they  are  of,  so  as  to  promote  it  to  the 
highest  of  their  parts,  estates,  or  power,  then  they  think  they 
do  God  good  service,  and  that  this  is  all  he  requires  of  them. 
Others  think  they  serve  God  by  serving  of  his  creatures,  as  in 
praying  to  saints,  bowing  to  images,  and  falling  down  before 
the  eucharist,  when  it  is  carried  in  procession  :  nay,  many  there 
are,  who  think  they  serve  God  when  they  dishonour  him,  wrest- 
ing his  Scriptures,  corrupting  his  doctrines,  opposing  his  vice- 
gerents, seducing  his  people  and  servants  into  error,  and  all 
for  the  promoting  of  some  temporal  interests,  or  groundless 
opinions.  But  we  might  know  that  the  service  of  God  is  a 
thing  of  an  higher  nature,  and  nobler  stamp  than  such  silly  mor- 
tals would  persuade  us  it  is :  consisting  in  nothing  less  than, 

1 .  In  devoting  of  ourselves,  and  all  we  have,  or  are,  or  do, 
unto  the  honour  of  the  eternal  God  ;  resigning  our  hearts 
wholly  to  him,  and  subduing  all  our  passions  and  affections 
before  him.  For  seeing  we  were  wholly  made  by  him,  and 
wholly  depend  upon  him,  if  we  would  serve  God  at  all,  we 
must  serve  him  with  all  we  are  ;  every  faculty  of  our  souls,  and 
member  of  our  bodies,  employing  themselves  in  those  services 
which  he  hath  set  them,  so  as  to  live  as  none  of  our  own,  but 
as  wholly  God's  ;  his  by  creation,  it  was  he  that  made  us  ;  hi3 
by  preservation,  it  is  he  that  maintains  us  ;  and  his  by  redemp- 
tion, it  is  he  that  hath  purchased  us  with  his  own  most  pre- 
cious blood ;  and  therefore  being  thus  bought  with  a  price,  we 
should  glorify  God  both  in  our  souls  and  bodies,  which  are  his, 
1  Cor.  vi.  20. 

And  as  we  are  to  serve  him  with  all  we  are,  so  also  with 
all  we  have.     Honour  the  Lord  with  thy  substance,  and  with 


1 90  Thoughts  upon  the 

the  Jirst-fruits  of  all  thine  increase,  Prov.  iii.  9.  Whatsoever 
we  have  we  receive  from  his  bounty,  and  therefore  whatsoever 
we  have  we  should  employ  for  his  glory:  our  parts,  our  gifts, 
our  estates,  our  power,  our  time ;  whatsoever  we  can  call 
ours,  is  his  in  our  hands,  and  therefore  to  be  improved,  not  for 
ourselves,  but  him ;  as  our  Saviour  shews  in  the  parable  of 
the  talents  which  the  master  of  the  house  distributed  amongst 
his  servants,  to  some  he  gave  one,  to  some  jive,  to  others  ten, 
that  every  one  might  employ  his  proportion  to  his  master's 
use,  neither  squandering  it  away,  nor  yet  laying  it  up  in  a  nap- 
kin. It  is  God  that  is  the  grand  master  and  possessor  of  the 
world,  who  parcels  it  out  amongst  his  creatures,  as  himself 
sees  good ;  but  wheresoever  he  entrusteth  any  thing,  he  ex- 
pects the  improvement  of  it  for  himself.  And  so,  I  suppose, 
doth  every  one  of  us  from  such  servants  as  we  keep  ;  we  ex- 
pect that  what  we  put  into  their  hands  be  laid  out,  not  for  them- 
selves, but  for  us  ;  and  that  they  spend  their  time  in  our  ser- 
vice, not  their  own  :  and  if  they  do  otherwise,  none  of  us  but 
will  say,  they  do  not  serve  us,  but  themselves.  How  then  can 
we  expect  that  God  should  look  upon  us  as  serving  him,  when 
we  do  not  do  so  much  for  him  as  we  expect  from  our  own  ser- 
vants, though  our  fellow  creatures  ?  Or  how  can  we  think  that 
we  serve  him  as  we  ought,  unless  we  serve  him  as  much  as  we 
can  ?  Or  that  God  should  look  upon  us  as  his  servants,  unless 
we  employ  and  improve  whatsoever  we  have,  not  for  our  own 
pleasure,  profit,  or  applause,  but  for  his  honour  and  glory, 
from  whom  we  did  receive  it  ?  Let  us  remember  our  Saviour's 
words,  Matt.  v.  16.  Let  your  light  so  shine  before  men,  that 
they  may  see  your  good  works,  and  glorify  your  Father  which 
is  in  heaven. 

2.  Hence  the  serving  of  God  consisteth  also  in  the  perform- 
ing of  sincere  and  universal  obedience  to  all  his  laws  and 
commands,  which  is  but  the  natural  consequence  of  the  for- 
mer :  for  if  our  whole  man,  both  soul  and  body,  and  whatso- 
ever we  have,  or  are,  ought  to  be  devoted  to  his  glory;  it  must 
needs  follow,  that  whatsoever  we  do,  should  be  conformable  to 
his  precepts  ;  which  also  is  no  more  than  every  one  of  us  ex- 
pects from  our  servants  :  for  those  whom  we  have  covenanted 
with  to  be  our  servants,  and  whom  we  keep  upon  that  very 
account,  that  they  may  serve  us,  we  all  expect  that  they  should 
observe  all  our  commands,  and  do  whatsoever  in  justice,  and 
by  our  covenants,  we  can  enjoin  them.  But  how  much  more 
then  must  we  ourselves  be  obliged  to  obey  all  the  laws  and 
precepts  of  him  that  made  us,  whose  creatures  we  are,  and 
whose  servants,  by  consequence,  we  ought  to  be. 


Knowledge  of  God.  191 

I  say,  all  his  laws  and  precepts  ;  for  we  must  not  think  to 
pick  and  choose,  to  do  some  things,  and  leave  other  things 
undone  :  for  we  should  take  it  ill  if  our  servants  should  serve 
us  so  ;  if  when  we  send  them  upon  several  businesses,  they 
should  mind  only  one  of  them,  and  neglect  all  the  other,  we 
should  questionless  look  upon  them  as  very  idle  and  careless 
servants  :  but  let  us  consider  and  bethink  ourselves,  whether 
we  have  not  served  our  Master,  the  eternal  God,  as  bad  as  our 
servants  have  or  can  serve  us.  He  hath  given  us  several  laws 
to  observe,  and  hath  set  us  several  works  to  do,  and  we,  per- 
haps, can  make  a  shift  to  do  something  that  is  required  of  us  ; 
but  never  think  of  the  other,  and,  perhaps,  the  principal  things 
too  that  he  expects  from  us. 

Just  as  if  when  Moses  had  broke  the  two  tables  of  stone, 
whereon  the  Ten  Commandments  were  written,  one  man 
should  have  come  and  snatched  away  one  piece,  a  second  ran 
away  with  another  piece,  and  a  third  with  another,  till  at  length 
ten  several  persons  had  gotten  ten  several  pieces,  wherein  the 
Ten  Commandments  were  severally  written ;  and  when  they 
had  done  so,  every  one  of  them  should  have  striven  to  keep  the 
law  that  was  written  in  his  own  piece,  never  minding  what 
was  written  in  the  others.  Do  you  think  that  such  persons  as 
these  are  could  be  reputed  the  servants  of  God,  and  to  observe 
his  laws,  when  they  minded  only  one  particular  branch  or  piece 
of  them  ?  The  case  is  our  own ;  we  hearing  of  several  laws 
and  commands  which  the  most  high  God  hath  set  us,  get  some 
one  of  them  by  the  end,  and  run  away  with  that,  as  if  we  were 
not  concerned  in  any  of  the  rest.  But  let  us  still  remember, 
that  the  same  finger  that  wrote  one  of  the  commands,  wrote 
all  the  other  too.  And  therefore  he  that  doth  not  observe  all, 
as  well  as  one,  cannot  properly  be  said  to  observe  any  at  all. 
Neither  indeed  doth  he  serve  God  in  any  thing  :  for  though  he 
may  do  something  that  God  requires,  yet  it  is  plain  that  he 
doth  not  therefore  do  it,  because  God  requires  it ;  for  it  he 
did  so,  he  would  do  all  things  else  too  that  God  requires.  And 
therefore  such  a  person  doth  not  serve  God  at  all  in  what  he 
doth ;  no,  he  serves  himself  rather  than  God,  in  that  he  doth 
it  not  in  obedience  to  God,  but  with  respect  unto  himself;  as 
to  get  himself  a  name  and  credit  amongst  men,  or  perhaps  to 
satisfy  his  troublesome  conscience,  which  would  not  let  him 
be  at  quiet  unless  he  did  it. 

But  now  one  that  would  serve  God  indeed,  hath  respect  to 
all  his  commandments,  Psal.  cxix.  6.  And  walks  in  all  the  com- 
mandments and  ordinances  of  the  Lord  blameless,  as  Zacharias 
and  Elizabeth  are  said  to  have  done,  Luke  i.  6.     And  thus, 


194  Thoughts  upon  the 

art,  that  God  will  not  be  mocked :  and  though  thou  hast  not 
seen,  or  perhaps  so  much  as  thought  of  him,  he  hath  seen  thee 
and  thy  thoughts  too ;  yea,  at  this  very  moment  looks  upon 
thee.  And  what  wilt  thou  answer  him,  the  great  Judge  of 
the  whole  world,  when  he  shall  tell  thee  to  thy  face,  and  call 
his  omniscience  to  witness,  that  he  saw  thee  at  this,  as  at  other 
times,  play  the  hypocrite  with  him,  making  as  if  thou  servedst 
him,  when  thou  servedst  him  not ;  and  instead  of  serving  him 
with  a  perfect  heart  and  a  willing  mind,  servedst  him  neither  in 
heart  nor  mind.  Let  us  all  remember  this  when  we  approach 
God's  house,  and  also  bethink  ourselves  afterwards  whether  we 
have  not  been  guilty  of  this  sin  !  if  we  have,  we  may  be  sure 
God  knows  it,  and  we  shall  hear  of  it  another  day.  But  to 
prevent  what  justly  may  be  our  doom,  let  us  repent  of  our  for- 
mer neglects  in  this  kind  ;  and,  for  the  future,  whensoever  we 
are  serving  God,  let  us  still  look  upon  him  as  looking  upon  us, 
and  fix  in  our  hearts  this  one  thing,  that  God  knows  all  things 
in  the  world.  And  therefore  let  us  not  think  to  put  God  off 
with  such  careless  and  perfunctory  services  as  heretofore  too 
many  of  us  have  done  ;  but  if  we  desire  to  serve  him  at  all, 
let  us  serve  him  him  with  a  perfect  heart  and  a  willing  mind. 

Thus  I  have  endeavoured  to  shew  both  what  it  is  to  serve 
God,  and  how  we  ought  to  do  it :  now  let  us  not  think  it  suffi- 
cient that  we  know  how  to  serve  God,  unless  we  serve  him 
according  to  our  knowledge.  Let  us  remember  our  Saviour's 
words  ;  If  ye  know  these  things,  happy  are  ye  if  ye  do  them, 
John  xiii.  17.  Which  happiness,  that  all  who  read  this  may 
attain  unto,  let  me  advise  them,  in  the  name  of  the  eternal  God 
that  made  them,  to  renounce  and  forsake  their  former  matters, 
sin,  satan,  and  the  world,  whoever  may  have  hitherto  been  en- 
slaved to  them,  and  now  dedicate  themselves  wholly  to  the  ser- 
vice of  him,  that  made  them  for  that  very  purpose,  that  they 
might  serve  him  ;  yea,  and  who  hath  composed  our  natures 
so,  that  the  highest  happiness  that  we  are  capable  of  consists 
in  our  serving  him :  and  therefore  let  us  not  think  that  he  calls 
upon  us  to  serve  him,  because  he  wants  our  service  ;  no,  be  it 
known  unto  all,  that  he  is  infinitely  happy  in  the  enjoyment  o 
his  own  perfections,  and  needs  not  the  services  of  such  poor 
silly  mortals  as  we  are,  who  have  nothing  but  what  we  receive 
from  him  :  and  therefore  he  doth  not  call  upon  us  to  serve  him, 
because  he  cannot  be  happy  without  us,  but  because  we  can- 
not be  happy  without  him  :  not  because  he  wants  our  service, 
but  because  we  want  it ;  it  being  impossible  for  us  to  be  happy, 
unless  we  be  holy,  or  to  enjoy  God,  unless  we  serve  him. 
"Wherefore  all  ye  that  desire  to   go  to  heaven,  to  have  him 


Knowledge  of  God.  195 

that  made  you  reconciled  unto  you,  and  smile  upon  you,  or 
that  desire  to  be  really  and  truly  happy,  set  upon  the  work 
which  God  sent  you  into  the  world  about  ;  put  it  not  off  any 
longer,  make  no  more  vain  excuses,  but  from  this  day  forward 
let  the  service  of  God  be  your  daily,  your  continual  employ- 
ment and  pleasure  :  study  and  contrive  each  day  how  to  ad- 
vance his  glory  and  interest  in  the  world,  and  how  you  may 
walk  more  strictly,  more  circumspectly,  more  conformably  to 
his  laws  than  ever.  But  whatsoever  service  you  perform  «nto 
him,  be  sure  to  do  it  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  with  a  willing 
mind.  Think  not  to  put  him  off  with  fancy  instead  of  faith,  or 
with  outward  performances  instead  of  real  duties  :  but  remem- 
ber that  he  searcheth  the  hearts,  and  trieth  the  reins  of  the 
sons  of  men,  and  observes  the  inward  motions  of  the  soul,  as 
well  as  the  outward  actions  of  the  life  :  and  therefore  where- 
soever you  are,  whatsoever  you  do,  still  bethink  yourselves, 
that  he  that  made  you,  still  looks  upon  you  ;  taking  notice,  not 
only  of  the  matter  of  the  actions  which  you  do  perform,  but 
also  of  the  manner  of  your  performing  them  ;  and  therefore  be 
sure  to  have  a  special  care  in  all  your  services  for  or  unto  God, 
that  your  hearts  be  sincere  before  him,  and  your  minds  inclined 
to  him,  that  so  you  may  serve  him  with  a  perfect  heart  and  a 
willing  mind. 

But  to  conclude  :  Whoever  ye  are  that  read  this  discourse, 
I  have  here  shewn  you  the  things  that  belong  unto  your  ever- 
lasting peace,  having  acquainted  you  with  the  method  and 
manner  of  your  serving  God  in  time,  in  order  to  your  enjoy- 
ment of  him  to  eternity  ;  how  you  are  affected  with  what  you 
have  read,  and  whether  you  be  resolved  to  practise  it,  yea,  or 
no,  it  is  only  the  eternal  God  that  knows.  But  this  I  know, 
that  if  you  will  not  be  persuaded  to  serve  God,  yea,  and  to 
serve  him  too  with  a  perfect  heart,  and  a  willing  mind,  you 
will  one  day  wish  you  had,  but  then  it  will  be  too  late.  And 
therefore  if  you  will  put  it  to  the  venture,  go  on  still,  and  with 
the  unprofitable  servant,  hide  your  talents  in  a  napkin,  or  la- 
vish them  out  in  the  revels  of  sin  and  vanity  ;  let  thy  belly  be 
still  thy  God,  and  the  world  thy  Lord ;  serve  thyself  or  satan, 
instead  of  the  living  God :  but  know,  that  for  all  this  God  will 
bring  thee  into  judgment ;  after  which,  expect  nothing  else  but 
to  be  overwhelmed  with  horror  and  confusion  to  eternity. 

Whereas  on  the  other  side,  such  amongst  you  as  shall  sin- 
cerely endeavour  from  henceforth  to  serve  God  with  a  perfect 
heart,  and  with  a  willing  mind,  I  dare,  I  do  assure  them,  in 
the  name  of  God,  their  labour  shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lard  • 


196  Thoughts  upon  the  Knowledge  of  God. 

for  God  suffers  not  his  enemies  to  go  unpunished,  nor  his  ser- 
vants unrewarded. 

And  therefore  go  on  with  joy  and  triumph  in  the  service  of 
so  great  and  so  good  a  Master,  and  devote  yourselves  wholly 
to  his  service,  and  employ  your  talents  faithfully  for  his  glory. 
Remember  the  time  is  but  short ;  and  Christ  himself  will  re- 
ceive you  into  eternal  glory,  saying,  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servants. 


THOUGHTS 


UPON    THR 


MYSTERY  OF  THE  TRINITY, 


Though  there  be  many  in  the  world  that  seem  to  be  religious, 
there  are  but  few  that  are  so :  one  great  reason  whereof  is, 
because  there  is  so  many  mistakes  about  religion,  that  it  is  an 
hard  matter  to  hit  upon  the  true  notion  of  it :  and  therefore  de- 
siring nothing  in  this  world  so  much  as  to  be  an  instrument  in 
God's  hand  to  direct  men  unto  true  religion,  my  great  care  must, 
I  and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  shall  be,  to  instil  into  them  right 
\  conceptions  of  him,  that  is  the  only  object  of  all  religious  acts, 
:i  without  which  it  is   impossible  to  continue,  or  indeed  to  be, 
religious.     The  true  nature  and  notion  of  religion  consisting 
in  the  right  carriage  and  deportment  of  our  whole  man,  both 
soul  and  body,  towards  him  that  made  us  ;  whom  therefore, 
unless  we  truly  know,  we  can  never  be  truly  religious  ;  and 
I  therefore  they  that  begin  their  religion  with  zeal  and  passion, 
|  begin  at  the   wrong  end  ;  for  indeed  they  begin  where  they 
:  should  end  :  our  zeal  for  God,  and  love  unto  him,  being  the 
j  highest  acts  of  religion,  and  therefore  cannot  be  the  first : 
I  but  they  necessarily  presuppose  the  true  knowledge  of  God, 
without  which  our  zeal  will  be  blind,  and  our  love  both  ground- 
less and  transient. 

But  as  it  is  impossible  to  be  truly  religious,  unless  we  know 
God,  so  it  is  very  difficult  so  to  know  him,  as  to  become  truly 
religious.  It  is  true  that  there  is  such  a  supreme  Being  in  and 
over  the  world,  as  we  call  God  ;  the  very  light  of  nature  teach- 
es, and  reason  itself  demonstrates  it  to  be  most  certain  and 
undeniable.  But  what  he  is,  and  what  apprehensions  we  ought 
to  have  of  this  glorious  Being,  none  but  himself  is  able  to 
describe  and  manifest  unto  us,  so  that  our  conceptions  of  him 
are  still  to  be  regulated  by  the  discoveries  that  he  hath  made  of 
himself  to  us ;  without  which,  though  we  may  have  some  con- 
fused notions  of  him,  yet  we  can  never  so  know  him,  as  to 

R  2 


196  Thoughts  upon  the  Knowledge  of  God. 

for  God  suffers  not  his  enemies  to  go  unpunished,  nor  his  ser- 
vants unrewarded. 

And  therefore  go  on  with  joy  and  triumph  in  the  service  of 
so  great  and  so  good  a  Master,  and  devote  yourselves  wholly 
to  his  service,  and  employ  your  talents  faithfully  for  his  glory. 
Remember  the  time  is  but  short ;  and  Christ  himself  will  re- 
ceive you  into  eternal  glory,  saying,  Well  done,  good  and 
faithful  servants. 


THOUGHTS 


UPON   THE 


MYSTERY  OF- THE  TRINITY. 


Though  there  be  many  in  the  world  that  seem  to  be  religious, 
there  are  but  few  that  are  so :  one  great  reason  whereof  is, 
because  there  is  so  many  mistakes  about  religion,  that  it  is  an 
hard  matter  to  hit  upon  the  true  notion  of  it :  and  therefore  de- 
siring nothing  in  this  world  so  much  as  to  be  an  instrument  in 
God's  hand  to  direct  men  unto  true  religion,  my  great  care  must, 
and,  by  the  blessing  of  God,  shall  be,  to  instil  into  them  right 
conceptions  of  him,  that  is  the  only  object  of  all  religious  acts, 
without  which  it  is  impossible  to  continue,  or  indeed  to  be, 
religious.  The  true  nature  and  notion  of  religion  consisting 
in  the  right  carriage  and  deportment  of  our  whole  man,  both 
soul  and  body,  towards  him  that  made  us  ;  whom  therefore, 
unless  we  truly  know,  we  can  never  be  truly  religious  ;  and 
therefore  they  that  begin  their  religion  with  zeal  and  passion, 
begin  at  the  wrong  end  ;  for  indeed  they  begin  where  they 
should  end  :  our  zeal  for  God,  and  love  unto  him,  being  the 
highest  acts  of  religion,  and  therefore  cannot  be  the  first : 
but  they  necessarily  presuppose  the  true  knowledge  of  God, 
without  which  our  zeal  will  be  blind,  and  our  love  both  ground- 
less and  transient. 

But  as  it  is  impossible  to  be  truly  religious,  unless  we  know 
God,  so  it  is  very  difficult  so  to  know  him,  as  to  become  truly 
religious.  It  is  true  that  there  is  such  a  supreme  Being  in  and 
over  the  world,  as  we  call  God  ;  the  very  light  of  nature  teach- 
es, and  reason  itself  demonstrates  it  to  be  most  certain  and 
undeniable.  But  what  he  is,  and  what  apprehensions  we  ought 
to  have  of  this  glorious  Being,  none  but  himself  is  able  to 
describe  and  manifest  unto  us,  so  that  our  conceptions  of  him 
are  still  to  be  regulated  by  the  discoveries  that  he  hath  made  of 
himself  to  us ;  without  which,  though  we  may  have  some  con- 
fused notions  of  him,  yet  we  can  never  so  know  him,  as  to 

R  t 


198  Thoughts  upon  the 

serve  him  faithfully,  and,  by  consequence,  be  truly  religious. 

Hence  therefore  if  we  would  know  God,  we  must  search 
the  Scriptures  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  wherein  God 
hath  been  pleased  most  clearly  to  manifest  and  discover  him- 
self unto  us:  I  say,  both  the  Old  and  New  Testament;  for 
otherwise,  our  knowledge  of  God  may  be  very  defective  and 
erroneous,  there  being  several  things  which  God,  in  the  New 
Testament,  hath  most  plainly  revealed  of  himself,  which  in 
the  Old  Testament  are  more  darkly  and  obscurely  delivered  to 
us.  As  for  example,  the  great  mystery  of  the  Trinity ;  though 
it  be  frequently  intimated  in  the  Old  Testament,  yet  it  is  an 
hard  matter  rightly  to  understand  it  without  the  New :  inso- 
much, that  the  Jews,  though  they  have  had  the  Law  above 
three  thousand,  and  the  prophets  above  two  thousand  years 
among  them,  yet  to  this  day  they  could  never  yet  make  this 
an  article  of  faith ;  but  they,  as  well  as  the  Mahometans,  still 
assert,  that  God  is  only  one  in  person  as  well  as  nature:  where- 
as nothing  can  be  more  plain  from  the  New  Testament,  than 
that  there  is  but  one  God,  and  yet  there  are  three  persons,  every 
one  of  which  is  that  one  God :  and  so  that  though  God  be  but 
one  in  nature,  yet  he  is  three  in  persons  ;  and  so  three  per- 
sons, as  yet  to  be  but  one  in  nature. 

And,  verily,  although  there  was  no  other  text  in  all  the 
Scripture  whereon  to  ground  this  fundamental  article  of  our 
Christian  faith  ;  that  of  Matt,  xxviii.  1 9.  Go  ye  therefore  and 
teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  a  sufficient  foundation 
for  it ;  there  being  nothing,  I  think,  necessary  to  be  believed 
concerning  the  glorious  Trinity,  but  what  may  easily  and  nn- 
turally  be  deduced  from  these  words,  which  were  spoken,  it 
is  true,  by  our  Saviour  before  his  ascension,  but  I  question 
whether  they  were  thoroughly  understood,  till  after  the  Holy 
Ghost  was  come  down  to  earth.  It  being  only  by  God  him- 
self that  we  can  come  to  the  true  knowledge  of  him,  much 
less  are  we  able  rightly  to  apprehend,  and  firmly  to  believe, 
three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  without  the  assistance  of  one 
of- them  that  is,  of  the  Holy  Ghost;  by  whom  the  other  two 
are  wont  to  work  ;  he  being  the  issue,  as  I  may  so  say,  and 
breath  of  both.  Hence  it  is,  that  the  wisdom  of  the  church, 
for  these  many  centuries,  hath  thought  fit  to  order,  that  this 
great  mystery  be  celebrated  the  next  Lord's  day  after  the  com- 
memoration of  the  Holy  Spirit's  coming  down  upon  the 
disciples,  and  in  them,  upon  all  true  believers  ;  both  because 
all  three  persons  have  now  manifested  themselves  to  mankind  ; 
the  Father  in  his  creation  of  them,  the  Son  in  his  conversing 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  1 99 

with  them,  and  the  Holy  Ghost  by  his  coming  down  upon 
them :  and  also  to  show,  that  it  is  only  by  the  grace  and  as- 
sistance of  God's  Spirit,  that  we  can  rightly  believe  in  this 
glorious  and  incomprehensible  mystery,  which  our  Saviour 
hath  so  clearly  revealed  to  us  in  these  words,  go  ye,  and  teach 
all  nations,  <fyc. 

For  the  opening  of  which,  we  must  know  that  our  Saviour 
in  the  foregoing  verse  acquaints  his  disciples,  that  now  all 
power  was  given  him  in  heaven  and  in  earth ;  by  virtue  where- 
of, he  here  issueth  forth  his  commission  to  his  apostles,  and, 
in  them,  to  all  that  should  succeed  them,  to  supply  his  room, 
and  be  his  vicegerents  upon  earth,  he  being  now  to  reside  in 
his  kingdom  of  heaven.  For,  saith  he,  all  power  is  given  to 
me  in  heaven  and  earth ;  go  ye  therefore  and  teach  all  nations  : 
as  he  also  saith  elsewhere  to  them,  As  my  Father  hath  sent 
me,  even  so  I  send  you,  John  xx.  21.  as  if  he  should  have  said, 
My  Father  having  committed  to  me  all  power  and  authority 
both  in  heaven  and  earth,  I  therefore  authorize  and  commis- 
sionate,  yea,  and  command  you   to  go  teach  all  nations,  &c. 

This  therefore  is  part  of  the  commission  which  our  Lord 
and  Master  left  with  his  apostles  immediately  before  he  parted 
from  them.  Those  being  the  last  words  which  St.  Matthew 
records  him  to  have  spoken  upon  earth  ;  and  therefore  they 
must  needs  contain  matter  of  very  great  importance  to  his 
church  ;  and  it  must  needs  highly  concern  us  all  to  understand 
the  true  meaning  and  purport  of  them.  Which  that  we  may 
the  better  do,  in  treating  of  them,  I  shall  observe  the  same 
method  and  order  as  he  did  in  speaking  them. 

First,  therefore,  here  is  the  work  he  sends  the  apostles  about ; 
go  ye  therefore  and  teach,  UogivSevres  ovv  fA.a^reoTctre,  which 
more  properly  may  be  rendered,  go  ye  therefore  and  disciple 
all  nations,  or,  make  the  persons  of  all  nations  to  be  my  disci- 
ples, that  is,  Christians.  That  this  is  the  true  meaning  of  the 
the  words,  is  plain  and  clear,  from  the  right  notion  of  the  word 
here  used,  ftuSyTeva,  which  coming  from  pxS-vTn,  a  disciple, 
it  always  signifieth  either  to  be,  or  to  make  disciples,  where- 
soever it  occurs  in  all  the  Scriptures  ;  as  ftctS-vrevSeU,  Matt, 
xiii.  52.  which  is  instructed,  say  we  ;  the  Syriac  better, 
made  a  disciple,  a  voSn,  that  is,  not  only  a  scholar  or 
learner,  but  a  follower  or  professor  of  the  Gospel,  here  cal- 
led the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Another  place  where  this  word 
occurs  is,  Matt,  xxvii.  57.  epctS-yTevre  ra  'Iqo-oZ,  where  we  right- 
ly translate  it,  was  Jesus'*  disciple.  Another  place  is,  Acts 
xiv.  2 1 .  Jtsci  iMt,§riTst>rxvTe$\  *.ccvov<;,  which  we  improperly  render, 
having  taught  many,  the  Syriac  and  Arabic,  more  properly, 


200  Thoughts  upon  tJie 

having  made  many  disciples.  And  these  are  all  the  places  in 
the  New  Testament  where  this  word  is  used,  except  those  I 
am  now  considering,  where  all  the  eastern  languages  render  it 
according  to  its  notation,  disciple.  The  Persian  paraphrasti- 
cally  expounds  it,  go  ye  and  reduce  all  nations  to  my  faith  and 
religion.  So  that  whosoever  pleads  for  any  other  meaning  of 
these  words,  do  but  betray  their  own  ignorance  in  the  original 
languages,  and,  by  consequence,  in  the  true  interpretation  of 
Scripture. 

I  should  not  have  insisted  so  long  upon  this,  but  that  the 
false  exposition  of  these  words  hath  occasioned  that  no  less 
dangerous  than  numerous  sect  of  anabaptists  in  the  world  ; 
for  the  old  Latin  translation  having  it,  euntes  ergo  docete  om- 
nes  gentes  ;  hence  the  German,  where  anabaptism  first  began, 
and  all  the  modern  translations  render  it  as  we  do,  go  ye  there- 
fore and  teach  all  nations,  baptizing  them.  From  whence  it 
was  supposed  by  some  that  were  not  able  to  dive  into  the  true 
meaning  of  the  words,  that  our  Saviour  here  commanded,  that 
none  should  be  baptized,  but  such  as  were  first  taught  the  prin- 
ciples of  the  Christian  religion,  which  is  the  greatest  mistake 
imaginable  ;  for  our  Saviour  doth  not  speak  one  word  of  teach- 
ing before  baptism,  but  only  after,  ver.  20.  ^i^ua-Kovreg,  his 
meaning  being  only  that  his  apostles  should  go  about  the  world, 
and  persuade  all  nations  to  forsake  their  former  idolatries  and 
superstitions,  and  to  turn  Christians,  or  the  disciples  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  and  such  as  were  so  should  be  baptized.  And  there- 
fore infant-baptism  is  so  far  from  being  forbidden,  that  it  is  ex- 
pressly commanded  in  these  words  ;  for  all  disciples  are  here 
commanded  to  be  baptized  ;  nay,  they  are  therefore  com- 
manded to  be  baptized,  because  disciples.  And  seeing  all  dis- 
ciples are  to  be  baptized,  so  are  infants  too,  the  children  of 
believing  parents,  for  they  are  disciples  as  well  as  any  other, 
or  as  well  as  their  parents  themselves  :  for  all  that  are  in  cove- 
nant with  God  must  needs  be  disciples  :  but  that  children  were 
always  esteemed  in  covenant  with  God,  is  plain,  in  that  God 
himself  commanded  the  covenant  should  be  sealed  to  them,  as 
it  was  all  along  by  circumcision.  But  that  children  are  disci- 
ples as  wrell  as  others,  our  Saviour  puts  it  out  of  all  doubt, 
saying  of  children,  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  God,  Mark  x. 
14.  And  therefore  they  must  needs  be  disciples,  unless  such 
as  are  not  disciples  can  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  God,  which 
a  man  must  be  strangely  distempered  in  his  brain  before  he 
can  so  much  as  fancy. 

And  besides,  that  children,  so  long  as  children,  are  looked 
upon  as  part  of  their  parents  ;  and  therefore  as  their  parents 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  201 

are,  so  are  they :  if  the  parents  be  heathen,  so  are  the  chil- 
dren ;  if  the  parents  be  Jews,  so  are  the  children ;  if  the  pa- 
rents be  Christian,  so  are  the  children  too  :  nay,  if  either  of 
the  parents  be  a  Christian  or  disciple,  the  children  of  both  are 
denominated  from  the  better  part,  and  so  looked  upon  as  Chris- 
tians too,  as  is  plain,  1  Cor.  vii.  14.  But  now  are  they  holy,  that 
is,  in  a  federal  or  covenant-sense  they  are  in  covenant  with 
God  ;  they  are  believers,  Christians,  or  disciples,  because  one 
of  their  parents  is  so. 

Now  seeing  children  are  disciples  as  well  as  others,  and  our 
Saviour  here  commands  all  disciples  to  be  baptized,  it  neces- 
sarily follows,  that  children  must  be  baptized  too.  So  that  the 
opinion  which  asserts,  that  children  ought  not  to  be  baptized, 
is  grounded  upon  a  mere  mistake,  and  upon  gross  ignorance 
of  the  true  meaning  of  the  Scripture,  and  especially  of  this 
place,  which  is  most  ridiculously  mistaken  for  a  prohibition, 
it  being  rather  a  command  for  infant-baptism. 

But  E  must  crave  the  reader's  excuse  for  this  digression  from 
the  matter  principally  intended,  though  I  could  not  tell  how  to 
avoid  it ;  nothing  being  more  needful  than  to  rescue  the  words 
of  our  blessed  Saviour  from  those  false  glosses  and  horrible 
abuses  which  these  last  ages  have  put  upon  them,  especially  it 
coming  so  directly  in  my  way  as  this  did. 

Secondly,  Here  is  the  extent  of  their  commission,  which  is 
very  large  indeed,  not  being  directed  to  some  few  particular 
persons,  but  to  nations ;  nor  to  some  particular  nations  only, 
but  to  all  nations  ;  go  ye  therefore  and  disciple  all  nations ; 
or,  all  the  world,  as  it  is,  Mark  xvi.  15.  This  was  that  which 
the  prophet  Isaiah,  or  rather  God  by  him,  foretels,  Isaiah  xlix. 
6.  which  our  Saviour  himself  seems  to  have  respect  unto, 
Luke  xxiv.  46,  47.  The  meaning  whereof,  in  brief,  is  this  ; 
that  though  the  Jews  hitherto  had  been  the  only  people  of  God, 
and  none  but  they  admitted  into  covenant  with  him,  now  the 
Gentiles  also  are  to  be  brought  in,  and  made  confederates  or 
copartners  with  them  in  the  covenant  of  grace  ;  that  the  par- 
tition-wall being  now  broke  down,  the  Gospel  is  to  be  preached 
to  all  other  nations,  as  well  as  the  Jewish ;  Christ  being  now 
come  to  be  a  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  as  well  as  the  glory 
of  his  people  Israel. 

But  though  the  words  of  the  commission  be  so  clear  to  this 
purpose,  yet  the  apostles  themselves  understood  it  not,  till  God 
had  interpreted  it  from  heaven  to  St.  Peter,  shewing  him  in  a 
vision,  that  he  should  call  no  man  common  or  unclean,  Acts  x. 
28.  From  which  time  forward  he,  with  the  rest  of  the  apos- 
tles, observed  their  commission  exactly  in  preaching  to  the 


202  Thoughts  upon  the 

Gentiles,  as  well  as  the  Jews.  And  this  was  one  end  where- 
fore the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  amongst  them,  even  to  enable 
them  to  do  what  their  Master  had  commanded  them.  For  he 
had  here  commanded  them  to  preach  unto  all  nations  ;  but  that 
they  could  not  do,  unless  they  could  speak  all  languages,  which 
therefore  the  Holy  Ghost  enabled  them  to  do,  Acts  ii.  4,  5. 
which  also  is  a  clear  demonstration  of  the  true  meaning  and 
purport  of  these  words  :  for  there  was  no  necessity  that  the 
Spirit  should  teach  the  apostles  all  languages,  but  that  the  Son 
had  first  enjoined  them  to  preach  unto  all  nations. 

Thirdly,  Hence  is  the  manner  whereby  they  are  to  admit 
all  nations  into  the  church  of  Christ,  or  into  the  Christian  re- 
ligion, by  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  For  the  opening  whereof  we 
must  know,  that  baptism  was  a  rite  in  common  use  amongst 
the  Jews  before  our  Saviour's  time,  by  which  they  were  wont 
to  admit  proselytes  into  their  religion,  baptizing  them  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  or  of  God.  A  little  before  our  Saviour's 
appearance  in  the  world,  John  Baptist  being  sent  to  prepare 
the  way  for  him,  baptized  the  Jews  themselves,  As  many  as 
came  unto  him,  in  the  name  of  the  Messiah  to  come,  which  was 
called,  the  baptism  of  repentance.  I  indeed  baptize  you,  says 
he,  with  water  to  repentance;  but  he  that  comes  after  me  is 
mightier  than  I,  &c.  Matt.  iii.  1 1 .  But  when  our  Saviour  was 
to  go  to  heaven,  he  left  orders  with  his  apostles  to  make  dis- 
ciples ;  or,  admit  all  nations  into  the  religion  which  he  had 
preached,  confirmed  with  miracles,  and  sealed  with  his  own 
blood,  by  baptizing  them  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and 
Holy  Ghost ;  which  form  of  baptism,  questionless,  his  apostles 
faithfully  observed  all  along,  as  may  be  gathered  also  from 
Acts  xix.  2,  3.  where  we  may  observe,  how,  when  they  said, 
they  had  not  so  much  as  heard  of  an  Holy  Ghost ;  he  wonder- 
ing at  that,  asked  them,  Unto  what  then  were  ye  baptized  ? 
plainly  intimating,  that  if  they  had  been  baptized  aright,  ac- 
cording to  Christ's  institution,  they  could  not  but  have  heard 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  because  they  had  been  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost ; 
but  ver.  5.  as  also  chap.  ii.  38.  and  viii.  16.  we  read  of  bap- 
tism administered  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  From  whence 
some  have  thought,  that  the  apostles  baptized  only  the  Gen- 
tiles, in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  but  the  Jews  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  only  ;  be- 
cause they  believing  in  the  Father  already,  if  they  were  bap- 
tized in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  so  testified  their  belief  that  he 
was  the  Messiah,  they  could  not  but  believe  in  his  Spirit  too  ; 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  203 

but  this  expression  of  baptizing  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
seems  to  me  rather  to  intimate  that  form  of  baptism  which  the 
Lord  Jesus  instituted  :  for  doubtless  the  apostle  observed  the 
precepts  of  our  Lord  better  than  so,  as  to  do  it  one  way,  when 
he  had  commanded  it  to  be  done  another  ;  and  baptized  only 
in  the  name  of  Jesus,  when  he  had  enjoined  them  to  baptize  in 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost. 

Neither  did  the  church  ever  esteem  that  baptism  valid, 
which  was  not  administered  exactly  according  to  the  institu- 
tion, in  the  name  of  all  the  three  persons  :  which  the  primi- 
tive Christians  were  so  strict  in  the  observance  of,  that  it  was 
enjoined,  that  all  persons  to  be  baptized  should  be  plunged 
three  times  into  the  water,  first  at  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
then  at  the  name  of  the  Son,  and  lastly,  at  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  that  so  every  person  might  be  distinctly  nomina- 
ted, and  so  our  Saviour's  institution  exactly  observed,  in  the 
administration  of  this  sacrament. 

Hence  also  it  was,  that  all  persons  to  be  baptized  were  al- 
ways required,  either  with  their  own  mouths,  if  adult,  or  if 
infants,  by  their  sureties,  to  make  a  public  confession  of  their 
faith  in  the  three  persons,  into  whose  names  they  were  to  be 
baptized  ;  for  this  indeed  was  always  looked  upon  as  the  sum 
and  substance  of  the  Christian  religion,  to  believe  in  God  the 
Father,  in  God  the  Son,  and  in  God  the  Holy  Ghost ;  and  they 
who  believed  in  these  three  persons,  were  still  reputed  Chris- 
tians ;  and  they  who  did  not,  were  esteemed  infidels  or  he- 
retics. 

Yea,  and  our  Saviour  himself  hath  sufficiently  declared  how 
necessary  it  is  for  us  to  believe  this  great  mystery,  as  also  how 
essential  it  is  to  a  Christian,  seeing  that  he  requires  no  more 
in  order  to  our  initiation  into  his  church,  but  only  that  we  be 
baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  In 
which  words  we  may  observe, 

First,  A  Trinity  of  persons,  into  whose  names  we  are  bap- 
tized, the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost.  This  is  that  mys- 
tery which  is  too  high  for  human  understandings  to  conceive, 
but  not  too  great  for  a  divine  faith  to  believe,  even  that  al- 
though there  be  but  one  God,  there  are  three  persons,  the 
Father,  the  Son,  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  every  one  of  which  is 
that  one  and  the  self-same  God  ;  and  therefore  it  is  that  bap- 
tism is  here  commanded  to  be  administered  in  the  name  of  all 
three. 

Now  to  confirm  our  faith  in  this  great  mystery,  whereinto 
we  were  all  baptized,  I  shall  endeavour  to  shew,  in  few  terms, 
what  grounds  we  have  in  Scripture  to  believe  it.     For  which 


204  Thoughts  upon  the 

end  we  must  know,  that  though  this  mystery  hath  received 
great  light,  by  the  rising  of  the  Sun  of  righteousness  upon  the 
world,  yet  it  did  not  lie  altogether  undiscovered  before,  yea, 
from  the  very  foundation  of  the  world,  the  church,  in  all  ages, 
hath  had  sufficient  ground  whereupon  to  huild  their  faith  on 
this  great  and  fundamental  truth  ;  for  in  the  very  creation  of 
the  world,  he  that  created  it  is  called  nStf  in  the  plural  num- 
ber :  and  in  the  creation  of  man,  he 'said,  Let  us  make  man 
in  our  own  image  ;  from  whence,  though  not  a  Trinity,  yet  a 
plurality  of  persons  is  plainly  manifest ;  yea,  in  the  beginning 
of  the  world  too,  we  find  both  Father,  Son,  and  Spirit,  con- 
curring in  the  making  of  it. 

For,  first,  it  is  said,  that  God  created  heaven  and  earth,  and 
then,  that  the  Spirit  of  God  moiled  upon  the  face  of  the  waters, 
Gen.  i.  2.  There  are  two  persons,  God,  and  the  Spirit  of 
God.  And  then  we  read  how  God  made  the  world  by  his 
word  :  he  said,  Let  there  be  light,  and  there  was  light.  From 
which  expression,  St.  John  himself  concludes,  That  all  things 
were  made  by  the  Son  of  God,  or  his  word,  John  i.  3.  and  so 
does  St.  Paul,  Col.  i.    16. 

Thus  we  read  afterwards,  The  Spirit  of  the  Lord  spake  by 
me,  and  his  word  by  my  tongue,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  2.  where  we 
have  Jehovah,  the  Spirit  of  Jehovah,  and  the  word  of  Jehovah, 
plainly  and  distinctly  set  down.  As  also  in  Psal.  xxxiii.  6.  and 
Isa.  xlii.  1.  where  there  is  the  Lord  speaking  of  his  Son,  and 
saying,  that  he  will  put  his  Spirit  upon  him  :  and  this  also  seems 
to  be  the  reason,  why  the  holy  angels,  when  they  praise  God, 
say,  Holy,  holy,  holy,  Lord  of  hosts,  Isa.  vi.  3,  Rev.  iv.  8. 
saying  holy  thrice,  in  reference  to  the  three  persons  they  adore. 

Thus  we  might  discover  this  truth  in  the  Old  Testament,  but 
in  the  New  we  can  scarce  look  over  it :  for  when  Jesus  was 
baptized,  Matt.  iii.  16.  had  we,  who  know  nothing  but  by  our 
senses,  been  present  at  this  time  with  Jesus  at  Jordan,  our 
very  senses  would  have  conveyed  this  truth  to  our  understand- 
ings, whether  we  would  or  no.  Here  we  should  have  heard  a 
voice  from  heaven;  whose  was  it,  but  God  the  Father?  Here 
we  should  have  seen  one  coming  out  of  Jordan  ;  who  was 
that  but  God  the  Son?  Here  we  should  have  seen  something 
else  too,  in  the  form  of  a  dove  ;  who  was  that  but  God  the 
Spirit?  Thus  was  God  the  Father  heard  speaking  ;  God  the 
Son  was  seen  ascending  out  of  the  water;  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost  descending  from  heaven  upon  him.  The  first  was  heard 
in  the  sound  of  a  voice,  the  second  was  seen  in  the  form  of  a 
man,  and  the  third  was  beheld  in  the  shape  of  a  dove. 
Voce  Pater  ^-tus  corpore,  Flamen  ave. 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  205 

But  there  are  many  such  places  as  this  all  the  New  Testa- 
jment  over,  where  the  three  persons  of  the  Godhead  are  dis- 
tinctly mentioned;  as  Luke  i.  35.  John  xiv.  16,  26,  xvi.  7. 
Gal.  iv.  6.  But  the  words  of  St.  Paul  are  very  remarkable 
too,  2  Cor.  xiii.  1 4.  And  yet  that  all  these  three  persons  were 
but  one  God,  Gen.  xviii.  2,  3.  John  x.  30.  St.  John  expressly 
asserts,  saying,  There  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the 
Father,  and  the  Word,  and  the  Spirit ;  and  these  three  are  one, 
1  John  v.  7.  which  certainly  are  as  plain  and  perspicuous  terms 
as  it  is  possible  to  express  so  great  a  mystery  in.  But  I  need 
not  have  gone  so  far  to  have  proved,  that  there  are  three  dis- 
tinct persons  in  the  Godhead  :  the  words  I  am  treating  of 
'being  a  sufficient  demonstration  of  it :  for  as  all  the  three  per- 
sons met  together  at  our  Saviour's  baptism;  so  doth  our  Sa- 
viour here  command,  that  all  his  disciples  be  baptized  in  the 
name  of  all  three  :  and  therefore  I  cannot  but  admire  how  any 
one  should  dare  to  profess  himself  to  be  a  Christian,  and  yet 
deny  or  oppose  the  sacred  Trinity,  into  which  he  was  baptized 
when  he  was  made  a  Christian  :  for,  by  this  means,  he,  re- 
nouncing his  baptism,  blasphemes  Christ,  unchristians  himself, 
blotting  his  own  name  out  of  the  catalogue  of  those  who  were 
made  Christians,  only  by  being  baptized,  in  the  name  of  the 
Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

II.  Here  is  the  Godhead  of  the  Trinity,  or  of  every  person 
in  the  Trinity,  that  one  as  well  as  the  other  is  God :  for  here 
we  see  divine  worship  is  to  be  performed  to  them  all ;  and  all 
that  profess  the  true  religion  must  be  baptized  in  the  name  of 
the  Son  and  Holy  Ghost,  as  well  as  of  the  Father  ;  which  cer- 
tainly would  be  the  greatest  absurdity,  yea,  the  most  horrid 
impiety  imaginable,  were  not  they  God  as  well  as  he.  For  if 
they  be  not  God,  they  are  creatures  ;  if  they  be  creatures,  rea- 
son as  well  as  Scripture  forbids  the  same  honour  and  worship 
to  be  conferred  on  them,  which  is  given  to  God  himself,  and 
only  due  to  him  ;  which  here,  notwithstanding,  we  see  is  given 
to  them,  and  that  by  our  Lord  himself,  commanding  baptism 
to  be  administered  in  his  own  name,  and  in  the  name  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  as  well  as  in  the  name  of  the  Father ;  and  so 
making  himself  and  the  Spirit  equal  sharers  in  the  same  hon- 
our that  is  given  to  the  Father.  So  that  was  there  no  other 
place  in  the  whole  Scripture  to  prove  it,  this  alone  would  be 
sufficient  to  convince  any  gainsayer,  that  the  Son  and  Spirit 
are  God  as  well  as  the  Father,  or  rather  the  same  God  with 
him.  But  that  I  may  unveil  this  mystery,  and  confirm  this 
truth  more  clearly,  we  will  consider  each  person  distinctly, 


206  Thoughts  upon  the 

and  shew,  that  one  as  well  as  the  other  is  really  and  trulj 
God. 

That  the  Father  is  God,  none  ever  denied  it,  and  therefore 
we  need  not  prove  it.  But  if  the  Father  be  God,  the  Son 
must  needs  be  God  too  ;  for  the  same  names,  properties, 
works,  and  worship,  which,  in  Scripture,  are  ascribed  to  the 
Father,  are  frequently  ascribed  to  the  Son  also  in  Scripture : 
the  Father  is  called  Jehovah  in  Scripture,  so  is  the  Son,  Hos. 
i.  7.  Jer.  xxiii.  6.  The  Father  is  called  God,  so  is  the  Son, 
John  i.  1 .  In  the  beginning  was  the  word,  and  the  word  was  ivitk 
God,  and  the  word  was  God:  with  God  as  to  his  person  ;  God, 
as  to  his  nature.  So  also,  John  xx.  28.  Acts  xx.  28,  &c. 
Moreover,  is  the  Father  Alpha  and  Omega,  the  first  and  the 
last  ?  so  is  the  Son,  Rev.  i.  8.  Is  the  Father  eternal  ?  so  is 
the  Son,  Isa.  ix.  6.  Rev.  i.  8.  Is  the  Father  Almighty?  so  is 
the  Son,  Heb.  i.  3.  Is  the  Father  every  where  ?  so  is  the  Son, 
Matt,  xviii.  20.  Doth  the  Father  know  all  things  ?  so  doth  the 
Son,  John  xxi.  17.  ii.  24.  Did  the  Father  make  all  things?  so 
did  the  Son,  John  i.  3.  Doth  the  Father  preserve  all  things  ?  so 
doth  the  Son,  Heb.  i.  3.  Doth  the  Father  forgive  sins  ?  so 
doth  the  Son,  Matt.  ix.  6.  Is  the  Father  to  be  worshipped  ? 
so  is  the  Son,  Heb.  i.  6.  Is  the  Father  to  be  honoured  ?  so  is 
the  Son,  John  v.  23.  No  wonder  therefore  that  Christ,  being 
thus  in  the  form  of  God,  thought  it  no  robbery  to  be  equal  ivith 
God,  Phil.  ii.  6.  He  did  not  rob  God  of  any  glory  by  saying 
himself  was  equal  to  him.  The  greatest  wonder  is  how  any 
one  can  believe  the  Scriptures  to  be  the  word  of  God,  and  yet 
deny  this  great  truth,  than  which  nothing  can  be  more  plain 
from  Scripture :  nothing  being  more  frequently  and  more 
clearly  asserted  than  this  is.  And,  verily,  it  is  well  for  us  that 
it  is  so ;  for  if  Christ  was  not  God,  neither  could  he  be  our 
Saviour.  None  being  able  to  free  us  from  our  sins,  but  only  he 
against  whom  they  were  committed.  And  therefore  I  cannot 
imagine  how  any  one  can  doubt  of  Christ's  divinity,  and  yet 
expect  pardon  and  salvation  from  him :  all  our  hopes  and  ex- 
pectations from  him  depending  only  upon  his  assumption  of 
our  human  nature  into  a  divine  person. 

And  that  the  Holy  Ghost  also  is  God,  is  frequently  asserted 
in  the  holy  Scriptures,  which  himself  indited.  Indeed  his  very 
inditing  of  the  Scriptures  was  a  clear  argument  of  his  Deity, 
as  well  as  the  Scriptures  indited  by  him.  What  man,  what 
angel,  what  creature,  who  but  God  could  compose  such  arti- 
cles of  faith,  enjoin  such  divine  precepts,  foretel  and  fulfil  such 
prophecies,  as  in  Scripture  are  contained,  who  spake  unto  or 
by  the  prophets  ?  Whom  did  they  mean,  when  they  said,  Thus 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  207 

saith  the  Lord  of  hosts  ?  Who  was  this  Lord  of  hosts  that  in- 
structed them  what  to  speak  or  write  ?  Was  it  God  the  Father, 
or  God  the  Son  ?  No,  but  it  was  God  the  Holy  Ghost :  For 
the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  ivill  of  man,  but  holy 
men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  2  Pet. 
i.  21.  Acts  xxviii.  25.  xxi.  11.  The  Holy  Ghost  therefore  be- 
ing* the  Lord  of  hosts,  he  must  needs  be  God,  there  being  no 
person  that  is  or  can  be  called  the  Lord  of  hosts,  but  he  that 
is  the  very  and  eternal  God. 

This  also  may  be  gathered  from  1  Cor.  iii.  16.  Know  ye  not 
that  ye  are  the  temple  of  God,  and  the  Spirit  of  God  dwelleth  in 
you;  for  none  can  be  the  temple  of  God,  but  he  in  whom  God 
dwells  ;  for  it  is  God's  dwelling  in  a  place  that  makes  that 
place  the  temple  of  God  ;  and  yet  we  are  here  said  to  be  the 
temple  of  God,  because  the  Spirit  dwelleth  in  us.  And  so 
elsewhere  ;  Know  ye  not,  saith  the  Apostle,  that  your  body  is 
the  temple  of  the  Holy  Ghost  that  is  in  you?  1  Cor.  vi.  19. 
which  could  not  be  unless  the  Holy  Ghost  was  God. 

Another  express  Scripture  we  have  for  it  in  Acts  v.  3,  4. 
where  St.  Peter  propounds  this  question  to  Ananias,  Why 
hath  Satan  filed  thine  heart  to  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  and  then 
tells  him  in  the  next  verse,  Thou  hast  not  lied  to  men,  but  to 
God :  and  so  expressly  asserts  the  Holy  Ghost  to  be  God. 

Moreover,  that  the  Holy  Ghost  is  truly  God,  coequal  to  the 
Father  and  Son,  is  plain,  in  that  the  Scriptures  assert  him  to 
be,  to  have,  and  to  do  whatsoever  the  Father  or  Son  is,  hath, 
or  doth,  as  God.  For,  is  the  Father  and  Son  eternal  ?  so  is 
the  Spirit,  Heb.  ix.  14.  Is  God  the  Father  and  the  Son  every 
where  ?  so  is  the  Spirit,  Psal.  cxxxix.  7.  Is  God  the  Father 
and  the  Son  a  wise,  understanding,  powerful,  and  knowing 
God  ?  so  is  the  Spirit,  Isaiah  xi.  2.  Are  we  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Father  and  the  Son  ?  so  are  we  baptized  in  the 
name  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  May  we  sin  against  the  Father  and 
the  Son  ?  so  may  we  sin  too  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  Nay, 
the  sin  against  this  person  only  is  accounted  by  our  Saviour  to 
be  a  sin  never  to  be  pardoned,  Matt.  xii.  31,  32.  We  may  sin 
against  God  the  Father,  and  our  sin  may  be  pardoned  :  we 
may  sin  against  God  the  Son,  and  our  sin  may  be  pardon- 
ed :  but  if  we  sin  or  speak  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  shall 
never  be  forgiven,  neither  in  this  world,  nor  yet  in  that  which  is 
to  come.  But  if  the  Holy  Ghost  be  not  God,  how  can  we  sin 
against  him  ?  or  how  comes  our  sin  against  him  only  to  be  un- 
pardonable, unless  he  be  God  ?  I  know  it  is  not  therefore  un- 
pardonable because  he  is  God,  for  then  the  sins  against  the 
Father  and  the  Son  would  be  unpardonable  too,  seeing  they 


208  Thoughts  upon  the 

both  are  God  as  well  as  he  :  yet,  though  this  sin  is  not  therefore 
unpardonable,  because  lie  is  God,  yet  it  could  not  be  unpardona- 
ble unless  he  was  God.  For,  supposing  him  not  to  be  God,  but  a 
creature,  and  yet  the  sin  against  him  to  be  unpardonable,  then 
the  sin  against  a  creature  would  be  unpardonable,  when  sins 
against  God  himself  are  pardoned  ;  which  to  say,  would,  itself, 
I  think,  come  near  to  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost.  But 
seeing  our  Saviour  describes  this  unpardonable  sin,  by  blas- 
pheming or  speaking  against  the  Holy  Ghost,  let  them  have  a 
care  that  they  be  not  found  guilty  of  it,  who  dare  deny  the  holy 
Ghost  to  be  really  and  truly  God,  and  so  blaspheme  and  speak 
the  worst  that  they  can  against  him. 

III.  We  have  seen  what  ground  we  have  to  believe  that 
there  are  three  persons  in  the  Godhead,  and  that  every  one  of 
these  persons  is  God  ;  we  are  now  to  consider  the  order  of 
those  persons  in  the  Trinity,  described  in  the  words  before  us. 
First,  the  Father,  and  then  the  Son,  and  then  the  Holy 
Ghost ;  every  one  of  which  is  really  and  truly  God  ;  and  yet 
they  are  all  but  one  real  and  true  God.  A  mystery  which  we 
are  all  bound  to  believe,  but  yet  must  have  a  great  care  how 
we  speak  of  it ;  it  being  both  easy  and  dangerous  to  mistake 
in  expressing  so  mysterious  a  truth  as  this  is.  If  we  think  of 
it,  how  hard  is  it  to  contemplate  upon  one  numerically  divine 
nature,  in  more  than  one  and  the  same  divine  person  ?  or,  upon 
three  divine  persons  in  no  more  than  one  and  the  same  divine 
nature  ?  If  we  speak  of  it,  how  hard  is  it  to  find  out  fit  words 
to  express  it  ?  If  I  say,  the  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  be 
three,  and  every  one  distinctly  God,  it  is  true :  but  if  I  say, 
they  be  three,  and  every  one  a  distinct  God,  it  is  false.  I  may 
say,  the  divine  persons  are  distinct  in  the  divine  nature  :  but  I 
cannot  say,  that  the  divine  nature  is  divided  into  the  divine  persons. 
I  may  say,  God  the  Father  is  one  God,  and  the  Son  is  one  God, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  one  God  :  but  I  cannot  say,  that  the  Fa- 
ther is  one  God,  and  the  Son  another  God,  and  the  Holy  Ghost 
a  third  God.  I  may  say,  the  Father  begat  another  who  is 
God  ;  yet  I  cannot  say,  that  he  begat  another  God.  And  from 
the  Father  and  the  Son  proceeded  another  who  is  God  ;  yet  I 
cannot  say,  from  the  Father  and  the  Son  proceed  eth  another 
God.  For,  all  this  while,  though  their  nature  be  the  same,  their 
persons  are  distinct ;  and  though  their  persons  be  distinct,  still 
their  nature  is  the  same.  So  that  though  the  Father  be  the 
first  person  in  the  Godhead,  the  Son  the  second,  the  Holy 
Ghost  the  third  ;  yet  the  Father  is  not  the  first,  the  Son  a  se- 
cond, the  Holy  Ghost  a  third  God.  So  hard  a  thing  is  it  to 
word  so  great  a  mystery  aright  ;  or  to  fit  so  high  a  truth  with 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  209 

expressions  suitable  and  proper  to  it,  without  going  one  way  or 
another  from  it.  And  therefore  T  shall  not  use  many  words 
about  it,  lest  some  should  slip  from  me  unbecoming  of  it :  but, 
in  as  few  terms  as  I  can,  I  will  endeavour  to  shew,  upon  what 
account  the  Father  is  the  first,  the  Son  the  second,  and  the 
Holy  Ghost  the  third  person  in  the  Trinity. 

First,  therefore,  the  Father  is  placed  first,  and  really  is  the 
first  person,  not  as  if  he  was  before  the  other  two,  for  they  are 
all  coeternal ;  but  because  the  other  two  received  their  es- 
sence from  him  :  for  the  Son  was  begotten  of  the  Father  ;  and 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  proceeded  both  from  the  Father  and  Son  ; 
j  and  therefore  the  Father  is  termed  by  the  primitive  Christians, 
i  the  root  and  the  fountain  of  Deity.  As  in  waters  there  is  the 
|  fountain  or  well  head  ;  then  there  is  the  spring  that  boils  up 
out  of  that  fountain  ;  and  then  there  is  the  stream  that  flows 
both  from  the  fountain  and  the  spring  ;  and  yet  all  these  are 
but  one  and  the  same  water  :  so  here,  God  the  Father  is  the 
fountain  of  Deity  ;  the  Son,  as  the  spring  that  boils  up  out  of 
the  fountain  ;  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  that  flows  from  both  ;  and 
yet  all  three  is  but  one  and  the  same  God.  The  same  may  be 
also  explained  by  another  familiar  instance  :  the  sun,  you  know, 
begets  beams,  and  from  the  sun  and  beams  together  proceed 
both  light  and  heat :  so  God  the  Father  begets  the  Son,  and 
from  the  Father  and  Son  together  proceeds  the  Spirit  of  know- 
ledge and  grace.  But  as  the  sun  is  not  before  the  beams,  nor 
the  beams  before  the  light  and  heat,  but  all  are  together  :  so 
neither  is  the  Father  before  the  Son,  nor  Father  or  Son  before 
the  Holy  Ghost,  but  only  in  order  and  relation  to  one  another  ; 
in  which  only  respect,  the  Father  is  the  first  person  in  the 
Trinity. 

Secondly,  The  Son  is  the  second  person,  who  is  called  the 
Son,  yea,  and  the  only-begotten  Son  of  God,  because  he  was 
begotten  of  the  Father,  not  as  others  are  by  spiritual  regene- 
ration, but  by  eternal  generation,  as  none  but  himself  is.  For 
the  opening  whereof  we  must  know,  that  God  that  made  all 
things  fruitful,  is  not  himself  sterile  or  barren  ;  but  he  that  hath 
given  power  to  animals,  to  generate  and  produce  others  in 
their  own  nature,  is  himself  much  more  able  to  produce  one, 
not  only  like  himself,  but  of  the  self-same  nature  with  himself, 
as  he  did  in  begetting  his  Son  by  communicating  his  own  unbe- 
gotten  essence  and  nature  to  him.  For  the  person  of  the  Son 
was  most  certainly  begotten  of  the  Father,  otherwise  he  would 
not  be  his  Son  ;  but  his  essence  was  unbegotten,  otherwise  he 
would  not  be  God.  And  therefore  the  highest  apprehensions 
that  we  can  frame  of  this  great  mystery,  the  eternal  generation 

S2 


210  Thoughts  upon  the 

of  the  Son  of  God,  is  only  by  conceiving  the  person  of  the 
Father  to  have  communicated  his  divine  essence  to  the  person 
of  the  Son  :  and  so  of  himself  begetting  his  other  self  the 
Son,  by  communicating  his  own  eternal  and  unbegotten  es- 
sence to  him.  I  say,  by  communicating  of  his  essence,  not  of 
his  person  to  him,  for  then  they  would  be  both  the  same  per- 
son, as  now  they  are  of  the  same  essence  :  the  essence  of  the 
Father  did  not  beget  the  Son  by  communicating  his  person  to 
him,  but  the  person  of  the  Father  begat  the  Son  by  communi- 
cating his  essence  to  him  ;  so  that  the  person  of  the  Son  is 
begotten,  not  communicated  ;  but  the  essence  of  the  Son  is 
communicated,  not  begotten. 

This  notion  of  the  Father's  begetting  the  Son  by  communi- 
cating his  essence  to  him,  I  ground  upon  the  Son's  own  words, 
who  certainly  best  knew  how  himself  was  begotten  ;  for  as 
the  Father,  saith  he,  hath  life  in  himself  so  hath  he  given  to  the 
Son  to  have  life  in  himself,  John  v.  26.  To  have  life  in  him- 
self, is  an  essential  property  of  the  divine  nature  ;  and  there- 
fore wheresoever  that  is  given  or  communicated,  the  nature 
itself  must  needs  be  given  and  communicated  too. 

Now  here  we  see  how  God  the  Father  communicated  this 
his  essential  property,  and  so  his  essence  to  the  Son ;  and,  by 
consequence,  though  he  be  a  distinct  person  from  him,  yet  he 
hath  the  same  unbegotten  essence  with  him  :  and  therefore,  as 
the  Father  hath  life  in  himself,  so  hath  the  Son  life  in  himself; 
and  so  all  other  essential  properties  of  the  divine  nature,  only 
with  this  personal  distinction,  that  the  Father  hath  this  life  in 
himself,  not  from  the  Son,  but  from  himself;  whereas  the  Son 
hath  it,  not  from  himself,  but  from  the  Father :  or,  the  Father 
is  God  of  himself,  not  of  the  Son  ;  the  Son  is  the  same  God, 
but  from  the  Father,  not  from  himself;  and,  therefore,  not 
the  Father,  but  the  Son,  is  rightly  called  by  the  Council  of 
Nice,  God  of  God,  Light  of  Light,  yea,  very  God  of  very 
God. 

Thirdly,  Having  thus  spoken  of  the  two  first  persons  in  the 
sacred  Trinity,  we  now  come  to  the  last,  the  Holy  Ghost. 
The  last,  I  say,  not  in  nature  or  time,  but  only  in  order  :  for, 
as  to  their  nature,  one  is  not  better  or  more  God  than  another: 
neither,  as  to  time,  is  one  before  another  ;  none  of  them  being 
measured  by  time,  but  all  and  every  one  of  them  eternity  it- 
self. But  though  not  in  nature  or  time,  yet  in  order,  one  must 
needs  be  before  another :  for  the  Father  is  of  himself,  receiv- 
ing his  essence  neither  from  the  Son,  nor  from  the  Spirit,  and 
therefore  is,  in  order,  before  both  ;  the  Son  received  his  es- 
sence from  the  Father,  not  from  the  Spirit,  and  therefore,  in 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  S 1 1 

order,  is  before  the  Spirit,  as  well  as  after  the  Father ;  but  the 
Spirit  receiving  his  essence  both  from  the  Father  and  the  Son, 
must  needs,  in  order,  be  after  both. 

I  confess,  the  Spirit  is  no  where  in  Scripture  said  to  proceed 
from  the  Son,  and  therefore  the  inserting  this  into  the  Nicene 
Creed  was  the  occasion  of  that  schism  betwixt  the  Western 
and  Eastern  churches,  which  hath  now  continued  for  many 
ages  ;  in  which,  I  think,  both  parties  are  blame-worthy ;  the 
Western  churches  for  inserting  this  clause  following  into  the 
i  Nicene  Creed,  without  the  consent  of  a  general  council  ;  and 
|  the  Eastern  for  denying  so  plain  a  truth  as  this  is  :  for  though 

I  the  Spirit  be  not  said  to  proceed  from  the  Son,  yet  he  is  called 
the  Spirit  of  the  Son,  Gal.  iv.  6.  Rom,  viii.  9.  which,  question- 
less, he  would  never  have  been,  did  not  he  proceed  from  the 
Son,  as  well  as  from  the  Father.  And,  verily,  the  Father 
communicating  his  own  individual  essence,  and  so  whatsoever 
he  is,  (his  paternal  relation  excepted,)  to  the  Son,  could  not 
but  communicate  this  to  him  also,  even  to  have  the  Spirit  pro- 
I  ceeding  from  him,  as  it  doth  for  himself.  So  that  as  whatso- 
ever the  Father  hath  originally  in  himself,  that  hath  the  Son 
by  communication  from  the  Father :  so  hath  the  Son  this,  the 
Spirit's  proceeding  from  him  by  communication  from  the  Fa- 
ther, as  the  Father  hath  it  in  himself:  and  the  Spirit  thus  pro- 
ceeding both  from  the  Father  and  the  Son,  hence  it  is  that  he 
is  placed  after  both,  not  only  in  the  words  before  us,  but  also 
in  1  John  v.  7.  and  so  elsewhere. 

From  what  I  have  hitherto  discoursed  concerning  this  great 
mystery,  the  Trinity  in  Unity,  and  Unity  in  Trinity,  I  shall 
gather  some  few  inferences,  and  so  conclude. 

1.  Is  the  Son  God,  yea,  the  same  God  with  the  Father  ? 
Hence,  I  observe,  what  a  strange  mystery  the  work  of  man's 
redemption  is,  that  God  himself  should  become  man.  And 
he  that  was  begotten  of  his  Father,  without  a  mother,  from 
eternity,  should  be  born  of  his  mother,  without  a  father,  in 

II  time  ;  that  he  who  was  perfect  God,  like  unto  the  Father,  in 
j  every  thing,  his  personal  properties  only  excepted,  should  also 
be  perfect  man,  like  unto  us  in  all  things,  our  personal  infirmi- 
ties only  excepted  ;  that  he  that  made  the  world,  should  be 
|  himself  made  in  it ;  that  eternity  should  stoop  to  time,  glory 
be  wrapt  in  misery,  and  the  Sun  of  righteousness  hid  under  a 
clod  of  earth  ;  that  innocence  should  be  betrayed,  justice  con- 
demned, and  life  itself  should  die,  and  all  to  redeem  man  from 
death  to  life.  O  wonder  of  wonders  !  how  justly  may  we  say 
with  the  Apostle,  without  controversy  great  is  the  mystery  of 
godliness,   1  Tim.  iii.  16. 


212  Thoughts  upon  the 

2.  Is  the  Spirit  also  God  ?  Hence  I  observe,  that  it  is  God 
alone  that  can  make  us  holy  ;  for  seeing  the  Scripture  all  along 
ascribes  our  sanctification  unto  the  Spirit  of  God,  and  yet  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  himself  really  and  truly  God,  it  necessarily 
followeth,  that  the  special  concurrence  and  influence  of  Al- 
mighty God  himself  is  necessary  to  the  making  us  really  and 
truly  holy. 

3.  Are  all  three  persons  in  the  Trinity  one  and  the  same 
God  ?  Hence  I  infer,  they  are  to  have  one  and  the  same  ho- 
nour conferred  upon  them,  and  one  and  the  same  worship 
performed  unto  them.  Or,  as  your  Saviour  himself  saith, 
That  all  men  should  honour  the  Son,  even  as  they  honour  the 
Father,  John  v.  23.  and  ye  believe  in  God,  believe  also  in  me, 
John  xiv.  1.  and  as  we  pray  to  the  Father,  so  should  we  pray  to 
the  Son  too,  as  the  Apostles  did,  Luke  xvii.  5.  and  St.  Stephen, 
Acts  vii.  59.  and  St.  Paul  to  all  three,  2  Cor.  xiii.  14. 

4.  Is  baptism  to  be  administered  in  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost  ?  Hence  I  observe,  how 
necessary  it  is  to  believe  in  these  three  persons,  in  order  to 
our  being  real  and  true  Christians  :  for  we  being  made  Chris- 
tians in  the  name  of  all  three,  that  man  ceaseth  to  be  a  Chris- 
tian that  believes  only  in  one :  for  faith  in  God  the  Father,  God 
the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  is  necessary  to  the  very  con- 
stitution of  a  Christian ;  and  is  the  principal,  if  not  the  only 
characteristical  note  whereby  to  distinguish  a  Christian  from 
another  man ;  yea,  from  a  Turk :  for  this  is  the  chief  thing 
that  the  Turks,  both  in  their  Alcoran  and  other  writings,  up- 
braid Christians  for,  even  because  they  believe  a  Trinity  of 
persons  in  the  Divine  nature.  For  which  cause  they  frequent- 
ly say  they  are  people  that  believe  God  hath  companions  ;  so 
that  take  away  this  article  of  our  Christian  faith,  and  what 
depends  upon  it,  and  there  would  be  but  a  little  difference  be- 
twixt a  Christian  and  a  Turk  :  but  by  this  means,  Turks  would 
not  turn  Christians,  but  Christians  Turks,  if  this  fundamen- 
tal article  of  the  Christian  religion  was  once  removed  :  for  he 
that  doth  not  believe  this,  is  no  Christian  upon  that  very  ac- 
count, because  he  doth  not  believe  this  by  which  a  Christian 
is  made  :  and  whatsoever  else  errors  a  man  may  hold,  yet  if 
he  believes  in  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy 
Ghost,  I  cannot,  I  dare  not  but  acknowledge  him  to  be  a 
Christian  in  general,  because  he  holds  fast  to  the  foundation 
of  the  Christian  religion,  though  perhaps  he  may  build  upon  it 
hay  and  stubble,  and  so  his  superstructure  be  infirm  and  rotten. 

I  shall  conclude  with  a  word  of  advice  to  all  such  as  call 
themselves  by  the  name  of  Christ :  I  suppose  and  believe  they 


Mystery  of  the  Trinity.  213 

are  all  Christians,  from  their  taking  that  name  ;  and  therefore 
I  need  not  use  any  arguments  to  persuade  them  to  turn  Chris- 
tians, for  so  they  are  already  by  profession  :  but,  seeing  that 
Jthey  are  Christians,  let  me  desire  them  to  consider  how  they 
came  to  be  so  ;  even  by  being  baptized  in  the  name  of  the  Fa- 
ther, and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  And  if  they 
desire  to  be  Christians  still,  I  must  advise  them  to  continue 
stedfast  in  that  faith  whereby  they  were  made  so.  Of  all  the 
errors  and  heresies  which  Satan  hath  sowed  amongst  us,  let  us 
have  an  especial  care  to  avoid  such  as  strike  at  the  very  foun- 
dation of  our  religion  ;  I  mean,  the  Arians,  Macedonians, 
Socinians,  and  all  manner  of  Antitrinitarians,  such  as  deny 
the  most  sacred  Trinity. 

But  I  hope  we  have  better  learned  Christ,  than  to  hearken 
to  such  opinions  as  these  are  ;  and  therefore  my  next  advice 
n  brief  is  only  this,  that  as  we  excel  others  in  the  truth  of  our 
profession,  so  we  would  excel  them  also  in  the  holiness  of  our 
ife  and  conversation  :  let  us  manifest  ourselves  to  be  Chris- 
ians  indeed,  by  believing  the  assertions,  trusting  on  the  pro- 
nises,  fearing  the  threatenings,  and  obeying  the  precepts  of 
Christ  our  Master  ;  that  both  infidels  and  heretics  may  be  con- 
inced  of  their  errors,  by  seeing  us  outstripping  them  in  our 
>iety  towards  God,  equity  to  our  neighbours,  charity  to  the 
>oor,  unity  amongst  ourselves,  and  love  to  all  :  for  this  would 
te  a  clear  demonstration,  that  our  faith  is  better  than  theirs  is, 
phen  our  lives  are  holier  than  theirs  are  ;  and  for  our  encou- 
agement  thereunto,  I  dare  engage,  that  if  we  believe  thus,  as 
Christ  hath  taught  us,  and  live  as  he  hath  commanded  us,  we 
hall  also  obtain  what  he  hath  promised,  even  eternal  happi- 
ess  in  the  world  to  come;  where  we  shall  see,  enjoy,  and 
raise  that  God,  into  whose  name  we  are  baptized!,  even  Fa- 
ker, Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  for  evermore.     There,  with  angels 
nd  archangels,  with  the  heavens  and  all  the  powers  therein  ; 
nth  cherubin  and  seraphin,  and  all  the  blessed  inhabitants 
f  those  everlasting  mansions  ;  with  the  glorious  company  of 
le  apostles,  the  goodly  fellowship  of  the  prophets,  the  noble 
rmy  of  martyrs,  all  the  company  of  heaven,  and  the  holy 
hurch    throughout  all  the  world,  we  shall  eternally  laud  and 
lagnify  thy  sacred  name  :  "  O  God  the  Father  of  heaven  ; 
►  God,  the   Son,  Redeemer  of  the  world  ;  O  God  the  Holy 
host,  proceeding    from  the  Father  and  the  Son  ;  O  holy, 
lessed,  and  glorious  Trinity,  three  persons  and  one  God,  ever- 
lore  praising  thee,  the  Father  of  an  infinite  majesty  ;  toge- 
ler  with  thine  honourable,  true,  and  only  Son  ;  thee  the  King 
'glory,  O  Christ ;  and  thee,  O  Holy  Ghost,  the  Comforter  :" 


stm  joining  witn  tne  neaveniy  cnoir,  ana  saying,  ••  noiy,  noiy, 
Lord  God  of  hosts,  heaven  and  earth  are  full  of  thy  glory  ; 
glory  be  to  thee,  O  Lord,  most  high.  We  praise  thee,  we 
bless  thee,  we  worship  thee,  we  glorify  thee,  we  give  thanks 
to  thee  for  thy  great  glory,  O  Lord  God,  heavenly  King,  God 
the  Father  Almighty.  O  Lord,  the  only  begotten  Son,  Jesu 
Christ  ;  O  Lord  God,  Lamb  of  God,  Son  of  the  Father,  that 
takest  away  the  sins  of  the  world,  and  sittest  at  the  right-hand 
of  God  the  Father,  O  blessed,  glorious,  and  eternal  Spirit ; 
for  thou  only  art  holy,  thou  only  art  the  Lord  ;  thou  only,  O 
Christ,  with  the  Holy  Ghost,  art  most  high  in  the  glory  of  God 
the  Father  ;  for  thine,  O  Lord,  is  the  kingdom,  and  the  power, 
and  the  glory,  for  ever  and  ever.     Amen." 

Almighty  and  everlasting  God,  who  hast  given  unto  us  thy 
servants  grace,  by  the  confession  of  a  true  faith,  to  acknow- 
ledge the  glory  of  the  eternal  Trinity,  and  in  the  power  of  the 
Divine  Majesty  to  worship  the  Unity  ;  we  beseech  thee,  that 
thou  wouldest  keep  us  stedfast  in  this  faith,  and  evermore  de- 
fend us  from  all  adversities,  who  livest  and  reignest  one  God, 
world  without  end.     Amen. 

And  now  having  led  the  Christian  through  this  first  stage  of 
his  course,  and  instructed  him  in  the  principles  of  his  religion, 
and  in  the  great  mystery  of  the  Trinity,  into  which  he  was  bap- 
tized, it  may  be  fit  to  bring  him  into  the  world,  and  shew  him 
how  he  ought  to  demean  himself  in  regard  to  the  things  of  it.  J 


THOUGHTS 


WORLDLY  RICHES. 


SECT.  I. 


HE  that  seriously  considers  the  constitution  of  the  Christian 
religion,  observing  the  excellency  of  its  doctrines,  the  clear- 
ness of  its  precepts,  the  severity  of  its  threatenings,  together 
with  the  faithfulness  of  its  promises,  and  the  certainty  of  its 
principles  to  trust  to  ;  such  a  one  may  justly  be  astonished,  and 
admire  what  should  be  the  reason  that  they  who  profess  this 
not  only  the  most  excellent,  but  only  true  religion  in  the  world, 
should  notwithstanding  be  generally  as  wicked,  debauched, 
and  profane,  as  they  that  never  heard  of  it.  For  that  they  are 
so,  is  but  too  plain  and  obvious  to  every  one  that  observes  their 
actions,  and  compares  them  with  the  practices  of  Jews,  Turks, 
and  Infidels.  For  what  sin  have  they  amongst  them  which  we 
have  not  as  rife  amongst  ourselves  ?  Are  they  intemperate  and 
luxurious  ?  Are  they  envious  and  malicious  against  one  an- 
other ?  Are  they  uncharitable  and  censorious  ?  Are  they  given 
to  extortion,  rapine,  and  oppression  ?  So  are  most  of  those 
who  are  called  Christians.  Do  they  blaspheme  the  name  of 
God,  profane  his  sabbaths,  contemn  his  word,  despise  his  ordi- 
nances, and  trample  upon  the  blood  of  his  only  Son  ?  How 
many  have  we  amongst  ourselves  that  do  these  things  as  much 
as  they  ? 

But  how  comes  this  about,  that  they  who  are  baptized  into 
the  name  of  Christ,  and  profess  the  religion  which  he  estab- 
lished in  the  world,  should  be  no  better  than  other  people,  and 
in  some  respects  far  worse  ?  It  is  because  though  they  profess 
the  Gospel,  yet  they  do  not  understand  it  ?  nor  know  what 
sins  are  forbidden,  nor  what  duties  arc  enjoined  in  it  ? 
That  none  can  plead,  especially  amongst  us  who  have  the 


216  Thoughts  upon 

Gospel  so  clearly  revealed,  so  fully  interpreted,  so  constantly 
preached  to  us,  as  we  have.  Insomuch  that  if  there  be  any 
one  person  amongst  us  that  understands  not  what  is  necessary 
to  be  known,  in  order  to  our  everlasting  happiness,  it  is  because 
we  will  not ;  wilfully  shutting  our  eyes  against  the  light. 

But  what  then  shall  we  impute  this  wonder  to,  that  Chris- 
tians are  generally  as  bad  as  heathens  ?  Does  Christ  in  his 
Gospel  dispense  with  their  impieties,  and  give  them  indulgences 
for  their  sins,  and  license  to  break  the  moral  law  ?  It  is  true, 
his  pretended  Vicar  at  Rome  doth  so  ;  but  far  be  it  from  us 
to  father  our  sins  upon  him,  who  came  into  the  world  on  pur- 
pose to  save  us  from  them.  Indeed  if  we  repent  and  turn  from 
sin,  he  hath  both  purchased  and  promised  pardon  and  forgive- 
ness to  us,  but  not  till  then :  but  hath  expressly  told  us  the  con- 
trary, assuring  us,  that  except  we  repent  we  must  all  perish, 
Luke  xiii.  3.  I  confess  there  have  been  such  blasphemous 
heretics  amongst  us,  called  Antinomians,  who  are  altogether 
for  faith  without  good  works,  making  as  if  Christ  by  erecting 
his  Gospel,  destroyed  the  moral  law  ;  but  none  can  entertain 
such  an  horrible  opinion  as  that  is,  whose  sinful  practices  have 
not  so  far  depraved  their  principles,  that  they  believe  it  is  so 
only  because  they  would  have  it  to  be  so,  directly  contrary  to 
our  Saviour's  own  words,  Matt.  v.  1 7.  Think  not  that  Iamcome 
to  destroy  the  law  and  the  prophets :  J  am  not  come  to  destroy, 
but  to  fulfil.  But  I  hope  there  is  none  of  us  but  have  better 
learned  Christ  than  to  think  that  he  came  to  patronize  our  sins, 
who  was  sent  to  bless  us,  by  turning  away  every  one  of  us  from 
our  iniquities,  Acts  iii.  26.  But  how  come  Christians  then  to 
be  as  bad  and  sinful  as  other  men  ?  Is  it  because  they  are  as 
destitute  as  other  men  of  all  means  whereby  to  become  better  ? 
No,  this  cannot  possibly  be  the  reason  :  for  nothing  can  be 
more  certain,  than  that  we  all  have,  or  at  least  may,  if  we  will, 
have  whatsoever  can  any  ways  conduce  to  the  making  us  either 
holy  here,  or  happy  hereafter.  We  have  the  way  that  leads 
thereto  revealed  to  us  in  the  word  of  God  ;  we  have  that  word 
frequently  expounded  and  applied  to  us  ;  we  have  all  free  ac- 
cess not  only  to  the  ordinances  which  God  hath  appointed  for 
our  conversion,  but  even  to  the  very  Sacraments  themselves, 
whereby  our  faith  may  be  confirmed,  and  our  souls  nourished 
to  eternal  life.  And  more  than  all  this  too,  we  have  many 
gracious  and  faithful  promises,  that  if  we  do  but  what  we  can, 
God  for  Christ's  sake  will  afford  us  such  assistances  of  his 
grace  and  Spirit,  whereby  we  shall  be  enabled  to  perform  uni- 
versal obedience  to  the  moral  law,  such  as  God  for  Christ's 
sake  will  accept  of,  instead  of  that  perfection  which  the    law 


Worldly  Riches.  217 

requires.  So  that  now,  if  we  be  not  all  as  real  and  true  saints, 
,as  good  and  pious  Christians  as  ever  lived,  it  is  certainly  our 
own  faults  :  for  we  have  all  things  necessary  to  the  making  of 
i  us  such,  and  if  we  were  not  wanting  to  ourselves,  it  is  impos- 
sible we  should  fail  of  having  all  our  sins  subdued  under  us, 
I  Rnd  all  true  grace  and  virtue  implanted  in  us.  Insomuch  that 
since  the  Christian,' religion  was  first  revealed  to  the  world,  there 
have  been  certainly  millions  of  souls  converted  by  it,  who  now 
are  glorified  saints  in  heaven,  which  once  were  as  sinful  crea- 
tures upon  earth  as  we  now  are.  But  it  seems  they  found  the 
Gospel  an  effectual  means  of  conversion  and  salvation  ;  and 
therefore  it  cannot  be  imputed  to  any  defect  in  the  Gospel,  or 
the  Christian  religion,  that  we  are  not  all  as  good  men  as  ever 
lived,  and  by  consequence  better  than  the  professors  of  all 
other  religions  in  the  world. 

But  what  then  shall  we  say  to  this  wonder  of  wonders,  that 
Christians  themselves  in  our  age  live  such  loose  and  dissolute 
lives  as  generally  they  do  ?  What  should  be  the  reason  that  all 
manner  of  sin  and  evil  should  be  both  practised  and  indulged 
amongst  us,  as  much  as  in  the  darkest  corners  of  the  world, 
upon  which  the  Gospel  never  yet  shined  ?  Why,  when  we  have 
searched  into  all  the  reasons  that  possibly  can  be  imagined, 
next  to  the  degeneracy  and  corruption  of  our  nature,  this  must 
needs  be  acknowledged  as  one  of  the  chief  and  principal,  that 
men  living  upon  earth,  and  conversing  ordinarily  with  nothing 
but  sensible  and  material  objects,  they  are  so  much  taken  up 
with  them,  that  those  divine  and  spiritual  truths,  which  are  re- 
vealed in  the  Gospel,  make  little  or  no  impression  at  all  upon 
them  ;  though  they  hear  what  the  Gospel  saith  and  teacheth,  yet 
they  are  no  more  affected  with  it,  nor  concerned  about  it,  than 
as  if  they  had  never  heard  of  it,  their  affections  being  all  bent  and 
inclined  only  to  the  things  of  this  world.  And  therefore  it  is  no 
wonder,  that  they  run  with  so  full  a  career  into  sin  and  wicked- 
ness, notwithstanding  their  profession  of  the  Gospel,  seeing  their 
natural  propensity  and  inclination  to  the  things  of  this  world 
are  so  strong  and  prevalent  within  them,  that  they  will  not 
suffer  them  to  think  seriously  upon,  much  less  to  concern 
themselves  about,  any  thing  else. 

The  apostle,  in  his  Epistle  to  Timothy,  chap.  vi.  endeavour- 
ing to  persuade  men  from  the  over-eager  desire  of  earthly  en- 
joyments, presses  this  consideration  upon  us,  that  such  an  inor- 
dinate desire  of  the  things  of  this  world  betrays  men  into  many 
and  great  temptations,  ver.  8,  and  9.  And  then  he  gives  this 
as  the  reason  of  it,  ver.  10.  For  the  love  of  money  is  the  root 
of  all  evil ;  that  is,  in  brief,  the  love  of  riches  and  temporal 

T 


218  Thoughts  upon 

enjoyments  is  the  great  reason  why  men  are  guilty  of  such 
great  and  atrocious  crimes  as  generally  they  are  ;  there  being 
no  evil  but  what  springs  from  this,  as  from  its  root  and  origin  ; 
which  is  so  plain  a  truth,  so  constantly  and  universally  expe- 
rienced in  all  ages,  that  the  heathens  themselves,  the  ancient 
poets  and  philosophers,  could  not  but  take  notice  of  it.  For 
Bion  the  philosopher  was  wont  to  say,  that  the  love  of  money 
was  the  metropolis  of  wickedness.  And  Apollodorus,  When 
thou  speakest  of  the  love  of  money,  thou  mentionest  the  head  of 
all  evils,  for  they  are  all  contained  in  that.  To  the  same  pur- 
pose is  that  of  the  poet  Phocylides,  The  love  of  riches  is  the 
mother  of  all  wickedness.  What  these  saw  by  the  light  of  na- 
ture, hath  here  divine  authority  stamped  upon  it ;  God  himself 
asserting  the  same  thing  by  this  apostle,  The  love  of  money  is 
the  root  of  all  evil;  which,  that  we  may  the  better  under- 
stand, we  must  consider, 

1 .  What  is  here  meant  by  money. 

2.  What  by  the  love  of  riches. 

S.  How  the  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evils. 

As  for  the  first,  I  need  not  insist  long  upon  it,  all  men  know- 
ing well  enough  what  money  is.  But  we  must  remember, 
that  by  money  is  here  understood  not  only  silver  and  gold,  but 
all  earthly  comforts,  possessions  and  enjoyments  whatsoever, 
whether  goods,  lands,  houses,  wares,  wealth,  or  riches  of  any 
sort  or  kind  whatsoever. 

2.  By  the  love  of  money,  we  are  to  understand  that  sin 
which  the  Scriptures  call  covetousness,  and  the  true  nature 
and  notion  of  it  consisteth  especially  in  three  things. 

1.  In  having  a  real  esteem  and  value  for  wealth  or  money, 
as  if  it  was  a  thing  that  could  make  men  happy,  or  better  than 
otherwise  they  would  be  ;  as  it  is  plain  all  covetous  men  have 
their  desire  of  riches  proceeding  only  from  a  groundless  fancy, 
that  their  happiness  consists  in  having  much,  which  makes 
them  set  a  greater  value  upon  riches,  preferring  them  before 
other  things,  even  before  God  himself.  Hence  the  love  of 
money  is  altogether  inconsistent  with  the  love  of  God,  1  John 
ii.  15.  If  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love  of  the  Father  is  not 
in  him.  It  being  impossible  to  love  God  as  we  ought,  above 
all  things,  and  yet  to  love  the  world  too  at  the  same  time. 

2.  Hence  the  love  of  money  supposeth  also  a  delight  and 
complacency  in  the  having  of  it,  proceeding  from  the  aforesaid 
esteem  they  have  for  it ;  for  being  possessed  with  a  fond  opin- 
ion, that  the  more  they  have  the  better  they  are,  they  cannot 
but  be  pleased  with  the  thoughts  of  their  present  enjoyments, 
as  the  rich  man  was  in  the  Gospel,  Luke  xii.  16,  17,  18,  19. 


Worldly  Riches.  219 

who,  because  his  ground  brought  forth  plentifully,  resolved  to 
enlarge  his  barns,  and  lay  up  stores  for  many  years,  and  bid 
his  soul  take  her  ease.  How  many  such  fools  have  we  amongst 
us,  who  please  and  pride  themselves  with  the  thoughts  of  their 
being  rich  ? 

3.  From  this  esteem  for,  and  complacency  in,  money  or 
wealth,  it  follows  that  men  are  still  desirous  of  having  more, 
placing  their  happiness  only  in  riches  ;  because  they  think  they 
can  never  be  happy  enough,  therefore  they  think  too  they  are 
never  rich  enough.  Hence  how  much  soever  they  have,  they 
still  desire  more,  and  therefore  covetousness  in  Scripture  is 
ordinarily  expressed  by  v^eove^iet,  which  properly  signifies  an 
inordinate  desire  of  having  more,  which  kind  of  desires  can 
never  be  satisfied,  because  they  are  able  to  desire  more  than 
all  the  world,  and  to  raise  themselves  as  high  and  as  far  as  the 
infinite  good  itself.  Now  such  a  love  of  money  as  this  is,  con- 
sisting in  having  a  real  esteem  for  it,  in  taking  pleasure  and 
delight  in  it,  and  in  longing  and  thirsting  after  it,  this  is  that 
which  the  Apostle  here  saith  is  the  root  of  all  evil ;  that  is,  it  is 
the  great  and  principal  cause  of  all  sorts  of  evil  that  men  are 
guilty  of,  or  obnoxious  to  ;  which,  that  I  may  clearly  demon- 
strate to  you,  we  must  first  know  in  general  that  there  are  but 
two  sorts  of  evil  in  the  world,  the  evil  of  sin,  and  the  evil  of 
punishment  or  misery  ;  and  the  love  of  money  is  the  cause  of 
them  both. 

To  begin  with  the  evil  of  sin,  which  is  the  only  fountain 
from  whence  all  other  evils  flow,  and  itself  doth  certainly 
spring  from  the  love  of  money,  as  much  or  more  than  from  any 
thing  else  in  the  whole  world.  Insomuch  that  the  greatest  part 
of  those  sins  which  any  of  us  are  guilty  of,  proceed  from  this 
master  sin,  even  the  love  of  money,  as  might  easily  be  shown 
from  a  particular  enumeration  of  those  sins  which  men  gen- 
erally are  addicted  to.  But  that  I  may  proceed  more  clearly 
and  methodically  in  demonstrating  this,  so  as  to  convince  men 
of  the  danger  of  this  above  most  other  sins,  I  desire  it  may  be 
considered  that  there  are  two  sorts  of  sins  that  we  are  all  guilty 
of,  sins  of  omission  and  sins  of  commission,  under  which  two 
heads  all  sins  whatsoever  are  comprehended. 

First,  for  sins  of  omissions.  It  is  plain  that  our  love  of 
money  is  the  chief  and  principal  cause  that  makes  us  neglect 
and  omit  our  duties  to  God  and  man,  as  it  is  manifest  we  most 
of  us  do.  In  speaking  unto  which  I  must  take  leave  to  deal 
plainly,  for  it  is  a  matter  that  concerns  our  eternal  salvation  ; 
and  therefore  howsoever  some  may  resent  it,  I  am  bound  in 
duty  and  conseience  to  mind  men  of  their  sins,  and  particu- 


220  Thoughts  upon 

larly  of  this  great  prevailing  sin  of  covetousness,  or  inordinate 
love  of  money,  which  most  men  give  but  too  much  reason  to 
fear  they  are  guilty  of,  and  therefore  I  may  tell  them  of  it  with- 
out any  breach  of  charity.  It  is  true  I  cannot  pretend  to  be 
a  searcher  of  hearts  ;  that  is  only  God's  prerogative,  and  there- 
fore I  shall  not  take  upon  me  to  judge  or  censure  any  particu- 
lar persons  ;  but  I  shall  speak  to  all  in  general,  and  leave 
every  one  to  make  the  particular  application  of  it  to  himself. 
Neither  shall  I  speak  of  things  at  random,  but  I  shall  instance 
only  in  such  sins  which  I  can  assert  upon  my  own  knowledge, 
that  most  men  allow  themselves,  and  that  upon  this  account 
only,  because  they  love  money. 

For  first,  what  is  the  reason  that  so  few,  indeed  scarce  any 
of  us,  are  at  prayers  at  church  upon  the  week-day,  to  perform 
our  devotion  to  him  that  made  us  ?  Is  it  because  we  think  it 
impertinent  to  pray  unto  him  ?  No ;  our  presence  there  on 
Sundays  condradicts  that,  and  I  have  more  charity  than  to  think 
that  any  are  so  atheistical  as  to  imagine  it  to  be  superfluous  to 
pay  our  homage  to  the  supreme  Governor  of  the  world,  and 
to  implore  his  aid  and  blessing  upon  us  ?  But  what  then  should 
be  the  reason  of  it  ?  in  plain  terms,  it  is  nothing  else  but  be- 
cause men  love  money,  and  therefore  are  loth  to  spare  so  much 
time  from  their  shops  or  callings,  as  to  go  to  church  to  pray 
to  God  for  what  they  want,  and  praise  his  name  for  what  they 
have.  Let  us  search  into  our  own  hearts,  and  we  shall  ac- 
knowledge this  to  be  the  only  reason  of  it.  But  it  is  a  very 
foolish  one  ;  for  who  can  bless  us  but  God  ? 

2.  What  is  the  reason  that  so  many  neglect  the  sacrament 
of  the  Lord's  supper  ?  Do  not  we  all  look  upon  it  as  our  duty 
to  receive  it  ?  I  dare  say  we  do  ;  Christ  himself  having  com- 
manded it,  Luke  xxii.  19.  and  it  being  the  only  way  whereby 
to  manifest  ourselves  to  be  Christians,  what  then  can  be  the 
reason  of  this  neglect  of  it,  but  merely  the  love  of  money, 
which  makes  men  loth  to  spend  time  in  preparing  and  fitting 
themselves  for  it. 

But  seeing  men  thus  excommunicate  themselves  by  not 
coming  to  the  communion,  in  plain  terms,  they  deserve  to  be 
excommunicated  by  the  censures  of  the  church.  And  if  God 
should  in  his  providence  deprive  them  of  ever  having  an  op- 
portunity of  receiving  the  sacrament  again,  they  must  even 
thank  themselves  for  it.  Howsoever  this  shall  be  their  present 
punishment,  that  they  shall  be  deprived  of  it,  until  they  think 
it  worth  their  while  to  come  unto  it. 

3.  What  is  the  reason  that  the  Sabbath  is  so  profaned  ?  That 
so  many  take  their  recreations  upon  the  Lord's-day,  but  be- 


Worldly  Riches.  221 

cause  they  cannot  spare  time  for  it  from  getting  money  upon 
other  days  ?  thinking  the  day  long,  because  they  can  get  little 
in  it ;  as  Amos  viii.  5.  And  why  do  so  many  profane  the  Sab- 
bath, while  at  church,  by  thinking  upon  the  world,  but  because 
they  love  it  ?  Ezek.  xxxiii.  31. 

4.  What  is  the  reason  that  charity  is  so  cold,  but  that  the 
love  of  money  is  grown  so  hot  amongst  us  ?  For  do  not  we 
all  know  it  is  our  duty  to  relieve  the  poor  ?  Hath  not  God  ex- 
pressly commanded  it  ?  Hath  not  he  threatened  a  curse  to 
them  that  do  it  not,  and  promised  a  blessing  to  them  that  do 
it  ?  What  then  can  be  the  reason  that  so  many  neglect  it,  but 
because  they  love  their  money  more  than  God  ? 

To  these  might  be  added  many  other  sins,  which  the  love  of 
money  daily  occasions.  For  what  is  the  reason  that  many 
read  the  Scriptures  so  seldom  and  so  cursorily  as  they  do  ? 
What  is  the  reason  that  they  either  have  none,  or  commonly 
neglect  their  family  duties?  that  every  slight  occasion  will 
make  them  omit  their  private  devotions  ;  that  they  can  find  no 
time  to  look  into  their  own  hearts,  to  consider  their  condition, 
and  meditate  upon  God  and  Christ,  and  the  world  to  come  ? 
What  is  the  reason  that  many  know  their  shops  better  than 
their  hearts,  and  are  acquainted  with  the  temper  of  their  body 
more  than  with  the  constitution  of  their  souls  '?  That  they  are 
so  careful  and  industrious  in  the  prosecution  of  their  worldly 
designs,  so  negligent  and  remiss  in  looking  after  heaven  ? 
What  is  or  can  be  the  reason  of  these  things,  but  that  inordi- 
nate love  and  affection  they  have  for  money,  or  the  things  of 
this  world,  which  makes  them  so  eager  in  the  pursuit  of  them, 
that  they  forget  they  have  any  thing  else  to  mind,  and  so  much 
taken  up  with  worldly  business,  that  God,  and  Christ,  and  hea- 
ven, and  soul,  and  all,  must  give  way  to  it  ?  O  the  folly  and 
madness  of  sinful  men  !  what  a  strange  corrupt  and  degenerate 
thing  is  the  heart  of  man  become !  that  we  should  be  so  fool- 
ish and  unwise  as  to  prefer  our  bodies  before  our  souls,  earth 
before  heaven,  toys  and  trifles  before  the  eternal  God,  the 
worst  of  evils  before  the  best  of  goods,  even  sin  itself,  with  all 
the  miseries  that  attend  it,  before  holiness  and  that  eternal 
happiness  which  is  promised  to  it !  and  all  for  nothing  else 
but  the  love  of  a  little  pelf  and  trash,  which  hath  no  other 
worth  but  what  our  own  distracted  fancies  put  upon  it. 

And  if  the  love  of  money  be  the  root  of  so  many  sins  of 
omission,  how  many  sins  of  commission  must  need  sprout  from 
it  ?  Indeed  they  are  so  many  that  it  would  be  an  endless  thing 
to  reckon  them  all  up,  and  therefore  I  shall  not  undertake  it, 
but  shall  mention  onlv  such  of  them  as  everv  one  upon  the 

T  2 


222  Thoughts  upon 

first  reading  shall  acknowledge  to  be  the  cursed  offspring  of 
this  one  fruitful  and  big-bellied  sin  of  covetousness,  or  the  love 
of  money,  of  which  Cicero  observes,  that  Nullum  est  ojficium 
tarn  sanctum  atque  solenne,  quod  non  avaritia  comminuere  atque 
violare  soleat.  So  we  may  say  on  the  other  side  too,  that 
there  is  no  sin  so  great  and  horrid,  but  covetousness  will 
sometimes  put  men  upon  it. 

Is  idolatry  a  sin  ?  yea,  certainly,  one  of  the  greatest  that 
any  man  can  be  guilty  of,  and  yet  nothing  can  be  more  plain, 
than  that  covetousness,  wheresoever  it  comes,  draws  it  along 
with  it ;  insomuch,  that  every  covetous  man  is  asserted  by 
God  himself  to  be  an  idolater,  Eph.  v.  5.  and  covetousness  to 
be  idolatry  itself,  Col.  iii.  5.  And  the  reason  is  plain;  for  what 
is  idolatry,  but  to  give  that  worship  to  a  creature  which  is  due 
only  unto  God  ?  But  what  higher  acts  of  worship  can  we  per- 
form to  God,  than  to  love  him  and  to  trust  on  him,  which  it  is 
certain  every  covetous  man  gives  to  his  money ;  and  therefore 
covetousness  is  here  called,  the  love  of  money.  And  we  cannot 
but  be  all  sensible  what  trust  and  confidence  men  are  wont  to 
repose  in  their  estates  and  incomes.  But  such  will  say,  we 
do  not  fall  down  before  our  money,  nor  pray  unto  it ;  but  they 
trust  on  it,  and  that  is  infinitely  more  than  bare  praying  to  it  : 
and  though  they  do  not  bow  down  before  it  in  their  bodies, 
yet  they  make  all  the  faculties  of  their  souls  to  bow  and  stoop 
unto  it ;  they  love  and  desire  it,  they  rejoice  and  delight  in 
having  of  it,  they  are  grieved  and  troubled  for  nothing  so 
much  as  the  parting  with  it,  nor  fear  any  thing  so  much  as  the 
losing  of  it. 

But  they  will  say  again,  we  do  not  sacrifice  to  our  bags,  nor 
burn  incense  to  our  estates  ;  we  never  did,  nor  intend  to  offer 
so  much  as  a  lamb  or  calf  unto  it !  It  is  true,  they  do  not,  but 
they  offer  that  which  is  far  better,  they  offer  the  poor  to  it,  suf- 
fering them  to  perish  with  hunger,  thirst,  and  cold,  rather  than 
relieve  them  with  that  necessary  maintenance  which  God  hath 
put  into  their  hands  for  them  ;  they  offer  their  own  bodies  to 
it,  exposing  them  to  heats  and  colds,  to  dangers  and  hazards 
both  by  sea  and  land,  and  all  for  money;  yea,  they  offer  their 
own  souls  to  it  likewise  as  a  whole  burnt-offering,  giving  them 
to  lie  scorching  in  hell  flames  to  eternity,  and  that  upon  no 
other  account  but  to  get  money:  and  tell  me  which  are  the 
greatest  fools,  and  the  most  odious  idolaters,  such  as  offer 
beasts  to  the  sun  and  flames,  or  such  as  offer  themselves  both 
soul  and  body  to  dirt  and  clay  ?  We  cannot  but  all  acknow- 
ledge the  latter  to  be  far  the  worse,  and,  by  consequence,  the 


Worldly  Riches.  223 

covetous  man  to  be  the  greatest  idolater  in  the  world,  and  that 
too  only  because  he  is  a  covetous  man. 

Moreover,  is  not  extortion  and  oppression  a  sin  ?  and  yet 
we  all  know  that  it  is  the  love  of  money  that  is  the  only  cause 
of  it.  Is  not  strife  and  contention  a  sin  ?  whence  comes  it  but 
from  our  lusting  after  money,  James  iv.  1.  Is  not  perjury  a 
sin  ?  Is  not  corruption  of  justice  a  sin  ?  Is  not  cheating  and 
cozenage  a  sin  ?  Is  not  pride  and  haughtiness  a  sin  ?  Is  not 
unrighteous  dealing  betwixt  man  and  man  a  sin  ?  Is  not  theft 
and  robbery  a  sin  ?  Is  not  treason  and  rebellion  a  sin  ?  Are 
not  all  these  sins,  and  great  ones  too  ?  But  whence  spring 
these  poisonous  fruits  into  the  lives  of  men,  but  from  the  bitter 
root  of  covetousness  in  their  hearts  ?  It  is  the  love  of  money 
that  makes  these  sins  so  rife  among  us :  it  is  this  that  makes 
men  forswear  themselves,  and  cozen  others  :  it  is  this  that  oft- 
times  makes  fathers  ruin  their  children,  and  children  to  long 
for  the  death  of  their  fathers  :  it  is  this  that  makes  neighbours 
go  to  law,  and  brethren  themselves  to  be  at  variance  :  it  is 
this  that  makes  men  strive  to  overreach  each  other,  and  to 
blind  the  eyes  of  those  they  deal  with  :  it  is  this  that  hath 
caused  some  to  murder  others,  and  others  to  destroy  them- 
selves. What  shall  I  say  more  ?  There  is  no  impiety  that  can 
be  committed  against  God,  nor  injury  that  can  be  offered  unto 
men,  but  the  love  of  money  hath  been  the  cause  of  it  in  others, 
and  will  be  so  in  us,  unless  it  be  timely  prevented  ;  and  there- 
fore it  may  well  be  termed  the  root  of  all  evil  of  sin. 

And  it  being  the  root  from  whence  all  the  evil  of  sin  springs, 
it  must  needs  be  the  root  of  the  evil  of  punishment  and  misery 
too  :  misery  and  punishment  being  the  necessary  consequence 
of  sin.  Indeed  this  sin  carries  its  misery  along  with  it,  as  Se- 
neca himself  saw  by  the  mere  light  of  nature,  saying,  Nulla 
avaritia  sine  poena  est,  quamvis  satis  sit  ipsa  posnarum,  No 
avarice  is  without  punishment,  though  it  be  itself  punishment 
enough.  For  what  a  torment  is  it  for  a  man  to  be  always 
thirsty,  and  never  able  to  quench  his  thirst  :  yet  this  is  the 
misery  of  every  covetous  man,  whose  thirst  after  money  can 
never  be  satisfied,  and  who  is  so  desirous  of  having  more,  that 
he  can  never  enjoy  with  comfort  what  he  hath  ;  loving  money 
so  well,  that  he  grudgeth  himself  the  use  of  it.  Hence  the 
foresaid  author  observed,  that  in  nullum  avarus  bonus  est,  in 
se  ipsam  pessimus,  The  covetous  man  is  good  to  none,  but  worst 
of  all  to  himself .  And  as  this  is  the  natural  consequent  of 
this  sin  in  itself,  so  is  it  the  ordinary  punishment  that  God  in- 
flicts upon  men  for  it,  not  suffering  them  to  take  any  pleasure 
in  the  use  of  what  thev  love,  Eccles.  vi.  1,  2.     And  besides 


224  Thoughts  upon 

that,  what  cares  and  fears,  what  labours  and  travels,  what  dan- 
gers and  hazards  doth  the  love  of  money  put  men  upon  ?  How 
do  they  rack  their  brains  and  break  their  rest  to  get  it ;  and 
when  it  is  gotten,  what  fears  are  they  always  in  lest  they  should 
lose  it  again  ?  What  grief  and  trouble  do  the  poor  wretches 
undergo  for  every  petty  loss  that  befals  them  ?  So  that  every 
covetous  man  is  not  only  miserable,  but  therefore  miserable 
because  covetous. 

But  if  their  misery  be  so  great  in  this  life,  how  great  will  it 
be  in  that  to  come  ?  concerning  which  there  are  two  things  to 
be  observed  :  first,  that  the  very  having  of  riches  makes  it  very 
difficult  to  get  to  heaven,  Matt.  xix.  23,  24,  25.  Luke  xvi. 
19,  22.  Hence  Agar  was  afraid  of  them,  Prov.  xxx.  8. 
Neither  do  we  ever  read  of  any  of  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  or 
the  saints  recorded  in  Scripture,  to  have  been  guilty  of  this 
sin,  unless  Baruch,  who  is  reproved  for  it,  Jer.  xlv.  5. 

And  as  the  having  of  money  makes  it  difficult  to  get  to  hea- 
ven, so  the  loving  of  it  makes  it  impossible  to  keep  out  of  hell. 
For  so  long  as  a  man  is  covetous,  he  is  liable  to  every  tempta- 
tion, ready  so  catch  at  every  bait  that  the  devil  throws  before 
him  ;  so  that  he  is  led  by  him  as  he  pleaseth,  till  at  length  he 
be  utterly  destroyed,  1  Tim.  vi.  9.  And  therefore  the  same 
Apostle  elsewhere  tells  us,  that  the  covetous  have  no  inheri- 
tance in  the  kingdom  of  God,  but  the  wrath  of  God  will  most 
certainly  fall  upon  them,  Eph.  v.  5,  6.  But  the  wrath  of  God 
is  the  greatest  evil  of  punishment  that  it  is  possible  for  men  to 
bear :  indeed  it  is  that  which  being  once  incensed  makes  hell- 
fire.  And  yet  we  see  that  the  heat  of  our  love  to  money  will 
enkindle  the  flames  of  God's  wrath  against  us,  yea,  and  such 
flames  too  as  will  never  be  quenched,  Mark  ix.  44.  And  so 
for  the  little  seeming  transient  pleasure  they  take  in  getting  or 
keeping  money  now,  they  must  live  in  misery  and  contempt, 
in  shame  and  torment  for  evermore. 

Thus  now  we  see  that  the  love  of  money  will  not  only  put  us 
upon  the  evil  of  sin,  but  it  will  also  bring  the  evil  of  punishment 
upon  us;  both  which  the  Apostle  here,  1  Tim.  vi.  ver.  9,  10.  im- 
putes to  this  sin.  And  therefore  he  both  well  may  and  must 
be  understood  of  both  these  sorts  of  evil,  when  he  saith,  that 
Hie  love  of  money  is  the  root  of  all  evil ;  which,  the  premises 
considered,  I  hope  none  can  deny.  And  need  I  then  heap  up 
more  arguments  to  dissuade  men  from  this  sin,  and  to  prevail 
with  them  to  leave  doting  upon  the  world  and  loving  money  ? 
Is  not  this  one  argument  of  itself  sufficient  ?  For,  is  it  possi- 
ble for  us  to  indulge  ourselves  in  this  sin,  now  we  know  it  is  the 
root  of  all  evil  ?  and  that  if  we  still  love  money,  there  is  no  sin 


Worldly  Riches,  225 

so  great  but  we  may  fall  into  it,  and  no  misery  so  heavy  but  it 
will  fall  upon  us.  Surely  if  this  consideration  will  not  prevail 
upon  us  to  despise  and  contemn,  rather  than  to  love  and  desire 
this  world,  for  my  part  I  know  not  what  can.  Only  this  I 
know,  that  so  long  as  men  continue  in  this  sin,  all  writing  and 
preaching  will  be  in  vain  to  them  ;  and  so  will  their  hearing  be, 
their  going  to  church,  their  reading  the  Scriptures,  their  hear- 
ing them  read  and  expounded  to  them  ;  all  this  will  signify  no* 
thing,  this  root  of  all  evil  is  still  within  us,  and  it  will  bring  forth 
its  bitter  fruit,  do  what  we  can.  And  therefore  as  ever  we  de- 
sire to  profit  by  what  we  hear,  as  ever  we  desire  to  avoid  any 
one  sin  whatsoever,  to  know  what  happiest  means  to  escape 
either  present  torment  or  eternal  misery,  as  ever  we  desire  to 
be  real  saints,  and  to  manifest  ourselves  to  be  so,  to  go  to 
heaven,  and  live  with  God  and  Christ  for  ever,  let  not  our  af- 
fections be  entangled  any  longer  in  the  briars  and  thorns  of  this 
lower  world,  let  us  beware  of  loving  money  :  If  riches  in- 
crease, let  us  not  set  our  hearts  upon  them,  Psal.  lxii.  10.  but 
scorn  and  despise  them  hereafter  as  much  as  ever  heretofore 
we  have  desired  or  loved  them. 

But  I  cannot,  I  dare  not  but  in  charity  believe  and  hope, 
that  by  this  time  my  readers  are  something  weaned  from  their 
doting  upon  this  present  world,  and  desire  to  know  how  they 
may  for  the  future  get  off  their  affections  from  it,  so  as  to  have 
this  root  of  all  evil  extirpated,  and  quite  plucked  up  from 
within  them.  I  hope  this  is  now  the  desire  of  all,  or  at  least 
of  most  of  them  ;  and  therefore  I  shall  now  endeavour  to  shew 
them  how  they  may  infallibly  acomplish  and  effect  it.  In  or- 
der thereto, 

1.  Let  such  persons  often  consider  with  themselves  how 
unsuitable  the  things  of  this  world  are  for  the  affection  of  love, 
which  was  designed  only  for  the  chiefest  good.  When  God 
implanted  the  affection  of  love  within  us,  he  did  not  intend  it 
should  be  the  root  of  all  evil  but  of  all  good  unto  us  ;  and 
therefore  he  did  not  give  it  us  to  place  it  fondly  upon  such  low 
and  mean  objects  as  this  world  present*  unto  us,  but  that  we 
should  love  himself  with  all  our  hearts  and  souls,  Deut.  vi,  5. 
And  surely  he  infinitely  deserves  our  love  more  than  such 
trash  can  do. 

2.  Let  them  remember  that  so  long  as  they  love  money  they 
may  pretend  what  they  please,  they  do  not  love  God,  1  John  ii. 
15.  nor  Christ,  Matt.  x.  37.  Luke  xiv.  26.  and  by  conse- 
quence they  have  no  true  religion  at  all  in  them,  James  i.  27. 

3.  Let  them  often  read  and  study  our  Saviour's  sermon  upon 
the  Mount,  where  he  pronounces  the  meek  and  low,  not  the 


226  Thoughts  upon 

rich  and  mighty,  to  be  blessed,  Matt.  v.  3,  4.  and  weigh  those 
strong  and  undeniable  arguments  which  he  brings,  to  prevail 
upon  us  not  to  take  thought  for  the  world,  nor  trouble  our 
heads  about  the  impertinent  concerns  of  this  transient  life, 
Matt.  vi.  24,  25,  26,  27,  28. 

4.  Let  them  labour  to  confirm  and  strengthen  their  trust 
and  confidence  on  the  promises  of  God,  who  hath  assured  us, 
that  if  we  love  and  fear  him,  he  will  take  care  of  us,  and  pro- 
vide all  things  necessary  for  us,  Matt.  vi.  33.  This  is  the 
great  argument  which  the  Apostle  uses,  Heb.  xiii.  5,  6. 

5.  Let  them  remember  that  they  are  called  to  higher  things 
than  this  world  is  able  to  afford  them  ;  the  Christian  is  an  high 
and  heavenly  calling  ;  we  are  called  by  it,  and  invited  to  a 
kingdom  and  eternal  glory,  1  Thess.  ii.  12.  and  therefore 
ought  not  to  spend  our  time  about  such  low  and  paltry  trash  as 
riches  and  wealth. 

6.  Let  them  get  above  the  world,  let  their  conversation  be 
in  heaven,  and  then  they  will  soon  look  down  upon  all  things 
here  below  as  beneath  their  concern.  Vilescunt  temporalis 
cum  desiderantur  (sterna,  said  St.  Gregory.  He  that  seriously 
thinks  upon  and  desires  heaven,  cannot  but  vilify  and  despise 
earth.  Oh  what  fools  and  madmen  do  the  blessed  angels,  and 
the  glorified  saints  in  heaven,  think  us  poor  mortals  upon  earth 
to  be,  when  they  see  us  busying  ourselves  about  getting  a  little 
refined  dirt,  and  in  the  mean  while  neglecting  those  transcen- 
dent glories  which  themselves  enjoy,  although  they  be  offered 
to  us! 

7.  Let  them  never  suffer  the  vanity  of  all  things  here  below 
to  go  out  of  their  minds  ;  but  remember  still,  that  get  what 
they  can,  it  is  but  vanity  and  vexation  of  spirit,  as  Solomon 
himself  asserted  upon  his  own  experience,  though  he,  be  sure, 
had  more  than  any  of  us  are  ever  likely  to  enjoy.  And  let 
them  not  only  often  repeat  the  words,  but  endeavour  to  get 
themselves  convinced  throughly  of  the  truth  of  them,  which 
their  own  experiences,  duly  weighed  and  rightly  applied,  will 
soon  do. 

8.  Let  it  be  their  daily  prayer  to  Almighty  God,  that  he 
would  take  off  their  affections  from  the  world,  and  incline 
them  to  himself,  as  David  did,  saying,  Incline  my  heart  to  thy 
testimonies,  and  not  to  covetousness,  Psal.  cxix.  36, 

To  all  these  means,  let  them  add  the  constant  and  serious 
consideration  of  what  they  have  here  read,  that  the  love  of 
money  is  the  root  of  all  evil ;  assuring  themselves  that  if  they 
will  not  believe  it  now,  it  is  not  long  before  they  will  all  find  it 
but  too  true,  by  their  own  sad  and  woeful  experience ;  when 


Worldly  Riches.  227 

they  shall  be  stripped  of  their  present  enjoyments,  and  so  turn 
.bankrupts  in  another  world,  where  they  will  be  cast  into  prison 
without  ever  having  a  farthing  to  relieve  themselves,  or  so  much 
as  a  drop  of  water  to  cool  their  inflamed  tongues. 

By  these  and  such  like  means  none  of  us  but  may  suppress 
the  love  of  money  in  us,  which  is  the  root  of  all  evil ;  and  so 
avoid  or  prevent  all  the  evil  which  otherwise  will  proceed  from 
it.  Whether  any  of  my  readers  will  be  persuaded  to  use  these 
means  or  no,  I  know  not ;  however  let  me  tell  them,  that  if 
they  are  loath  to  strive  to  get  their  affections  deadened  to  the 
world,  it  is  an  infallible  sign  that  they  are  too  much  in  love 
with  it,  and  that  this  root  and  seed  of  all  manner  of  evil  re- 
mains in  them  ;  nor  can  it  be  expected  they  will  be  persuaded 
to  any  one  duty  whatsoever,  until  they  are  first  prevailed 
upon  to  do  this,  even  to  mortify  their  lusts  and  affections  to 
the  things  of  this  world.  For  so  long  as  those  are  predomi- 
nant within  us,  no  grace  whatsoever  can  be  exerted,  nor  duty 
performed,  nor  any  sin  avoided  by  us. 

But  O  how  happy  would  it  be,  if  it  should  please  the  most 
high  God,  to  set  what  I  have  here  said  so  home  upon  any,  as 
to  induce  them  to  set  themselves  seriously  for  the  future  to  the 
eradicating  or  rooting  up  this  love  of  money  out  of  their  hearts ! 
;  What  a  holy,  what  a  blessed,  what  a  peculiar  people  should 
we  then  be,  and  how  zealous  of  good  works  !  Then  we  should 
■  take  all  opportunities  of  performing  our  devotions  to  Almighty 
1   God  ;  then  we  should  have  as  many  at  the  sacrament  as  at  a 
I   sermon  ;  then  our  churches  would  be  filled  all  the  week,  as 
well  as  on  Sundays,  and  the  eternal  God  constantly  worship- 
!   ped  with  reverence  and  godly  fear ;  then  we  should  take  de- 
light in  clothing  the  naked,  feeding  the  hungry,  and  relieving 
;    the  oppressed  ;  then  there  would  be  no  such  thing  as  cheating 
|    and  cozenage,  as  lying  and  perjury,  as  strife  and  contention 
amongst  us.     But  we  should  all  walk  hand  in  hand  together 
in  the  ways  of  piety,  justice,  and  charity  upon  earth,  until  at 
length  we  shall  come  to  heaven,  where  we  shall  be  so  far  from 
loving  or  desiring  money,  that  we  shall  account  it  as  it  is,  even 
dross  and  dirt ;  where  our  affections  shall  he  wholly  taken  up 
with  the  contemplation  of  the  chiefest  good,  and  we  shall  so- 
lace ourselves  in  the  enjoyments  of  his  perfections  for  ever- 
more. 


THOUGHTS 


UPON 


WOLDLY  RICHES. 


SEC.  II. 


Timothy  after  his  conversion  to  the  Christian  faith,  being 
found  to  be  a  man  of  great  parts,  learning,  and  piety,  and  so 
every  way  qualified  for  the  work  of  the  ministry,  St.  Paul, 
who  had  planted  a  church  at  Ephesus,  the  metropolis  or  chief 
city  of  all  Asia,  left  him  to  dress  or  propagate  it,  after  his 
departure  from  it,  giving  him  power  to  ordain  elders  or  priests, 
and  to  visit  and  exercise  jurisdiction  over  them,  to  see  they 
did  not  teach  false  doctrines,   1  Tim.  i.  3.     That  they  be  un- 
blameable  in  their  lives  and  conversations,   1  Tim.  v.  7.  and 
to  exercise  authority  over  them,  in  case  they  be  otherwise,  1  Jj 
Tim.  v.    19.     And  therefore  it  cannot  in  reason  but  be  ac-  j 
knowledged  that  Timothy  was  the  bishop,  superintendant,  or  J 
visiter  of  all  the  Asian  churches,  as  he  was  always  asserted  to 
have  been  by  the  Fathers  of  the  primitive  church,  as  Eusebius  i 
reports,  saying,  that  Timothy  is  reported  to  have  been  the  first 
bishop  of  the  province  of  Ephesus.     Be  sure  he  had  the  over- 
sight of  all  the  churches  that  were  planted  there  ;  and  not  only 
in  Ephesus  itself,  but  likewise  in  all  Asia,  which  was  subject 
then  to  his  ecclesiastical  power  and  jurisdiction. 

And  hence  it  is  that  the  apostle  St.  Paul,  in  his  first  Epistle 
to  him,  gives  him  directions  how  to  manage  so  great  a  work, 
and  to  discharge  so  great  a  trust  as  was  committed  to  him,  both 
as  bishop  and  priest ;  both  how  to  ordain  and  govern  others, 
and  likewise  how  to  preach  himself  the  Gospel  of  Christ. 
And  having  spent  the  whole  Epistle  in  directions  of  this  sort, 
in  the  close  of  it,  as  it  were  at  the  foot  of  the  Epistle,  he  sub- 
joins one  general  caution  to  be  constantly  observed  by  him, 
Charge  them  that  are  rich,  &,c.  Which  words,  though  first 
directed  to  Timothy,  were  in  him  intended  for  all  succeeding 
ministers,  and  preachers  of  the  Gospel ;  such  I  mean  who  are 


Worldly  Riclies.  229 

Memnly  ordained  and  set  apart  for  this  work.     We  are  all 
fbliged  to  observe  the  command  which  is  here  laid  upon  us, 
is  without  which  we  are  never  likely  to  do  any  good  upon  them 
hat  hear  us  :  for  so  long  as  their  minds  are  set  altogether 
Ipon  riches,  and  the  things  of  this  world,  we  may  preach  our 
iearts  out,  before  we  can  ever  persuade  them  to  mind  heaven 
nd  eternal  happiness  in  good  earnest.     This  St.  Paul  knew 
•ell  enough,  and  therefore  hath  left  this  not  only  as  his  advice 
nd  counsel,  but  as  a  strict  command  and  duty  incumbent  upon 
he  preachers  of  the  Gospel  in  all  ages,  that  they  charge  them 
hat  are  rich,  vS^c.  where  it  may  be  observed  in  the  first  place, 
low  we  are  expressly  enjoined   to  charge  them  that  are  rich, 
fcc.  a  word  much  to  be  observed.     The  apostle  doth  not  say, 
desire,  beseech,  counsel,  or  admonish  the  rich,  but  charge 
and  command  them  that  are  rich.     The  word  properly  signi- 
fies such  a  charge  as  the  judges  at  an  assize  or  sessions  make 
in  the  king's  name,  enjoining  his  subjects  to  observe   the  es- 
tablished laws  and  statutes  of  the  kingdom.     And  so  the  word 
is  always  used  in  Scripture  for  the  strictest  way  of  command- 
ing any  thing  to  be  observed  or  done,  as  Acts  v.  28.  Did  not 
we  straitly  command  you?  Luke  v.  14.  He  charged  him  to  tell 
no  man.     Thus  therefore   it  is  that  we  are  here  enjoined  to 
charge  the  rich  in  the  name  of  the  King  of  kings,  not  to  be 
high  minded,  nor  to  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  &x. 

And  this  is  the  proper  notion,  and  the  only  true  way  of 
preaching  the  word  of  God  ;  which  therefore  in  Scripture  is 
ordinarily  expressed  by  the  word  xvgue-cretv,  which  properly  sig- 
nifies to  publish  or  proclaim,  as  heralds  do,  the  will  and  plea- 
sure of  the  prince,  and  in  his  name  to  command  the  people  to 
observe  it.  Thus  we  are  enjoined  to  preach  the  word  of  God, 
by  publishing  his  will  and  pleasure  to  men  ;  charging  them  in 
his  name  to  obey  and  practise  it.  For  we  come  not  to  them 
in  our  own  names,  but  in  his  that  created  and  redeemed  them ; 
and  therefore,  although  we  neither  have  nor  pretend  to  any 
power  or  authority  over  them,  from  ourselves  ;  yet  by  virtue 
of  the  commission  which  we  have  received  from  the  universal 
and  supreme  Monarch  of  the  world,  we  not  only  lawfully  may, 
but  are  in  duty  bound,  to  charge  and  enjoin  all  in  his  name,  to 
observe  what  he  hath  commanded  them.  Insomuch,  that  al- 
though we  pretend  not  to  divine  inspiration,  or  immediate 
revelations  from  God,  such  as  the  prophets  had;  yet  we, 
preaching  the  same  word  which  they  did,  may  and  often  ought 
to  use  the  same  authority  which  they  used,  saying,  as  they 
did,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts.  For  whatsoever  is  written 
in  the  Scriptures,  is  as  certainly  God's  Avord  now,  as  it  was 

U 


230  Thoughts  upon 

when  first  inspired  or  revealed  to  them.  And  therefore  it  cam 
not  be  denied,  but  that  we  have  as  much  power  to  charo-e 
upon  all,  the  observation  of  what  is  there  written,  as  they  ever 
had,  we  being  sent  to  preach  and  proclaim  the  will  of  God 
unto  all,  by  the  same  person  as  they  were.  Hence  it  is  that 
the  apostle  in  the  name  of  God,  commands  Titus,  and  in  him 
all  succeeding  ministers  of  the  gospel,  to  speak  or  preach  the 
word  of  God,  to  exhort  and  rebuke  with  all  authority,  Tit.  ii. 
15.  From  whence  nothing  can  be  more  plain,  than  that  it  is 
our  duty  to  preach  with  authority,  as  those  who  have  received 
power  from  God,  to  make  known  his  will  and  pleasure  to  all 
men  ;  or,  as  the  apostle  here  expressly  words  it,  to  charge  them 
not  to  he  high  minded,  and  the  like. 

But  this  I  fear  may  be  a  very  ungrateful  subject  to  many, 
and  therefore  I  should  not  have  insisted  so  long  upon  it,  but 
that  there  is  a  kind  of  necessity  for  it.  For  I  verily  believe, 
that  the  non-observance  of  this  hath  been,  and  still  is,  the 
principal  reason  why  people  receive  so  little  benefit  by  hear- 
ing of  sermons,  as  they  usually  do  ;  for  they  look  upon  sermons 
only  as  popular  discourses,  rehearsed  by  one  of  their  fellow- 
creatures,  which  they  may  censure,  approve,  or  reject,  as 
themselves  see  good.  And  we  ourselves,  I  fear,  have  been 
too  faulty,  or  at  least  remiss,  in  this  particular  ;  in  that  when 
we  preach,  we  ordinarily  make  a  long  harangue  or  oration 
concerning  some  point  in  polemical,  dogmatical,  or  practical 
divinity,  and  use  only  some  moral  persuasions  to  press  upon 
our  auditors,  the  observance  of  what  we  say,  without  interpos- 
ing, or  exercising  the  authority  which  is  committed  to  us,  so 
as  to  charge  them  in  the  name  of  the  most  high  God,  to  ob- 
serve and  practise  what  we  declare  and  prove  unto  them  to  be 
his  will,  and  by  consequence  their  duty.  But  for  my  own  part, 
did  I  think  that  preaching  consisted  only  in  explaining  some 
point  in  divinity,  and  using  only  moral  arguments  to  persuade 
men  to  perform  their  duty  to  God  and  man,  I  should  not  think 
it  worth  my  while  to  do  it,  because  I  could  not  expect  to  do 
any  good  at  all  by  it.  For  all  the  moral  arguments  in  the 
world  can  never  be  so  strong  to  draw  us  from  sin,  as  our  own 
natural  corruptions  are  to  drive  us  into  it.  And  therefore  we 
can  never  expect  to  do  any  good  upon  men,  either  by  our 
logic  or  rhetoric  ;  but  our  arguments  must  be  fetched  from  on 
high,  even  from  the  eternal  God  himself,  or  else  they  are  ne- 
ver likely  to  profit  or  prevail  upon  them.  We  must  charge 
and  command  them  in  God's  name,  or  else  wTe  had  as  good 
say  nothing. 

It  is  true,  did  we,  who  preach  God's  word,  propose  nothing 


Worldly  Riches.  231 


lise  to  ourselves,  but  to  tickle  men's  ears,  and  please  their  fan- 
|es,  and  so  to  ingratiate  ourselves  into  their  love  and  favour, 
.  would  be  easy  to  entertain  them  with  discourses  of  another 
ature,  stuffed  with  such  fine  words,  quaint  phrases,  and  high 
otions,  as  would  be  very  pleasing  and  aceeptable  unto  them. 
>ut  I  must  take  leave  to  say,  that  we  dare  not  do  it ;  for  we 
tnow,  that  as  our  auditors  must  give  an  account  of  their  hear- 
ng,  so  it  is  not  long  before  we  also  must  give  an  account  of 
>ur  preaching  too  ;  for  so  God  himself  hath  told  us  before- 
[pand  by  his  apostle,  Heb.  xiii.   17.     But  how  shall  we  be 
Fable  to  look  the  eternal  God  in  the  face  ;  yea,  or  to  look 
[pur  auditors  in  the  face  at  that  time,  if  instead  of  charging 
their  duty  upon   them,  in  order  to  their  eternal  salvation, 
we  should  put  them  off  with  general  discourses,  which  sig- 
nify nothing,  only  to  please  and  gratify  them  whilst  we  re- 
main with  them ;  no,  we  dare  not  do  it,  and  therefore  I  wish 
men  would  not  expect  it  from  us;  for  we  must  not  hazard 
our  own  eternal  salvation  to  gain  their  temporal  favour  or  ap- 
plause.    And  therefore,  seeing  God  hath  been  pleased  to  en- 
trust us  so  far  with  men's  souls,  as  to  direct  them  in  the  way 
to  eternal  life,  howsoever  they  resent  it,  we  are  bound  in  duty, 
both  to  God,  to  them,  and  ourselves,  to  deal  plainly  with  them, 
and  to  use  the  authority  which  he  hath  here  committed  to  us, 
where  he  hath  expressly  commanded  us  in  his  name,  to  charge 
them  that  are  rich  in  this  world,  fyc. 

Where  I  desire  the  reader  to  observe  in  the  next  place,  that 
we  of  the  clergy  are  not  only  empowered  to  charge  the  poorer 
or  meaner  sort  of  people,  who,  by  reason  of  their  extreme  po- 
verty and  want,  may  seem  inferior  to  us,  but  even  rich  men 
too  ;  charge  them,  saith  the  Apostle,  that  are  rich  in  this  world. 
And  the  reason  is,  because  we  come  unto  them  in  his  name, 
who  gives  them  all  the  riches  they  do  enjoy,  and  can  take  them 
away  again  when  he  himself  pleaseth  ;  so  that  he  can  make 
the  poor  rich,  and  the  rich  poor,  when  he  pleaseth,  and  there- 
fore the  poor  and  rich  are  all  alike  to  him  ;  his  power  and 
authority  is  the  same  over  both  ;  and  therefore  we,  coming  in 
his  name,  are  ordered  to  make  no  distinction,  but  to  charge  the 
one  as  well  as  the  other ;  yea,  here  we  are  particularly  com- 
manded to  charge  them  that  are  rich. 

Which  is  the  next  thing  to  be  considered  in  these  words, 
even  whom  the  Apostle  means  by  them  that  are  rich  in  this 
world ;  which  is  a  question  that  needs  a  serious  resolution. 
For  many  men,  not  thinking  themselves  as  yet  to  be  rich 
enough,  will  be  apt  to  conclude  from  thence,  that  they  are  not 
to  be  reckoned  amongst  those  whom  the  apostle  here  calls  rich 


232  Thoughts  upon 

in  this  world.  But  whatsoever  they  may  think  of  themselves, 
I  believe  there  are  but  few,  except  the  very  poor,  who  in  a 
Scripture  sense  are  not  rich  men.  For  whatsoever  any  have 
over  and  above  their  necessary  maintenance,  that  the  Scrip- 
tures call  riches,  as  is  plain  from  Agar's  wish,  Give  me  neither 
poverty  nor  riches;  feed  me  with  food  convenient  for  me,  Prov. 
xxx.  8.  From  whence  it  is  easy  to  observe,  that  as  nothing 
but  the  want  of  convenient  food  is  poverty;  so  whatsoever  a 
man  hath  over  and  above  his  convenient  or  necessary  food,  is 
properly  his  riches ;  and  so  he  that  hath  it  is  in  a  Scripture 
sense  a  rich  man,  who  is  therefore  called  here  in  my  text  ttXoo- 
ffv«s,  quasi  -zroXvovrtos,  one  that  hath  much  substance,  or  more 
than  he  hath  necessary  occasion  for.  And  therefore,  al- 
though some  may  be  richer  than  others,  yet  I  believe  the  gene- 
rality may  be  justly  reckoned  in  the  number  of  the  rich  men 
here  spoken  of,  at  least  all  such  as  by  the  blessing  of  God  have 
not  only  what  is  necessary  for  their  present  maintenance,  but 
likewise  something  to  spare,  and  so  may  all  come  under  the 
notion  of  those  whom  we  are  here  commanded  to  charge  not 
to  be  high-minded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  &-c. 

Having  thus  considered  the  act  which  we  are  here  com- 
manded to  exert,  and  the  object,  the  rich  of  this  world,  we  are 
now  to  consider  the  subject  matter,  what  that  is  which  we  are 
here  commanded  to  charge  upon  them  ;  but  that  is  here  ex- 
pressly set  down  in  several  particulars,  all  which  I  shall  en- 
deavour to  explain  as  they  lie  in  order. 

First,  That  they  he  not  high-minded ;  a  necessary  caution  for 
rich  men.  For  riches  are  very  apt  to  puff  men  up  with  vain 
and  foolish  conceits  of  themselves,  so  as  to  think  themselves  to 
be  so  much  better,  by  how  much  they  are  richer  than  other 
people ;  but  this  is  a  grand  mistake,  which  we  are  here  en- 
joined to  use  the  utmost  of  our  power  and  skill  to  rectify,  by 
charging  them  that  are  rich  not  to  be  high-minded;  that  is,  not 
to  think  highly  and  proudly  of  themselves,  because  they  are 
richer  or  wealthier  than  other  men,  but  to  be  every  way  as 
humble  in  their  own  eyes,  and  as  lowly-minded  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  all  temporal  blessings,  as  if  they  enjoyed  nothing  ;  as 
considering, 

T.  How  much  soever  they  have,  they  are  no  way  really  the 
better  for  it. 

1 .  Not  in  their  souls  ;  they  are  never  the  wiser  nor  holier, 
nor  more  acceptable  unto  God  by  their  being  rich,  Eccles.  ix. 
1.  Job  xxxiv.  19. 

2.  Not  in  their  bodies  ;  they  are  never  the  stronger,  nor 


Worldly  Riches.  233 

ealthier,  nor  freer  from  pain  and  trouble,  nor  yet  longer  lived 

lan  others. 

|    3.  Not  in  their  minds  ;  their  consciences  are  never  the  qui- 

iter,  their  hearts  never  the  freer  from  cares  and  fears,  neither 
an  they  sleep  better  than  other  people,  Eccles.  v.  12. 
4.  Nor  yet  in  their  estate  and  condition. 
1.  Not  in  this  life  ;  for  riches  can  never  satisfy  them,  nor 
y  consequence  make  them  happy  ;  but  they  may  still  be  as 
liserable  in  the  enjoyment,  as  in  the  want  of  all  things,  Eccles. 
r«  11. 

2.  Nor  yet  in  the  life  to  come  ;  they  are  never  the  nearer 
leaven,  by  being  higher  upon  earth  ;  their  gold  and  silver  can 
lever  purchase  an  inheritance  for  them  in  the  land  of  Canaan, 
Fames  ii.  5. 

II.  They  are  so  far  from  being  better,  that  they  are  rather 
nuch  worse  for  their  having  abundance  here  below. 

1.  They  have  more  temptations  to  sin,  to  luxury,  to  covet- 
)usness,  to  the  love  of  this  world,  to  the  neglect  of  their  duty 
;o  God,  to  pride  and  self-conceitedness,  to  security  and  pre- 
sumption, Luke  xii.  19. 

2.  It  is  harder  for  them  to  get  to  heaven  than  it  is  for  others  ; 
ind  by  consequence,  the  richer  they  are,  the  more  danger  they 
ire  in  of  being  miserable  for  ever,  Matt.  xix.  23.  Whence 
)ur  Saviour  himself  denounceth  a  woe  upon  them  that  are 
•ich,  Luke  vi.  24.  and  St.  James  bids  them  weep  and  howl  for 
heir  miseries,  James  v.  1.  and  therefore  advises  us  to  rejoice 
•ather  at  poverty  than  riches,  James  i.  9,  10.  Now  these  things 
>eing  considered,  as  spoken  by  God  himself,  none  can  deny 
)ut  that  the  rich  are  most  certainly  in  a  worse  condition  than 
he  poor  ;  and,  by  consequence,  that  men  have  no  cause  to  be 
)roud,  or  high  minded,  nor  to  glory  in  their  riches,  Jer.  ix. 
13.  And  therefore  whatsoever  outward  blessings  God  hath 
>estowed  upon  us,  let  us  not  be  high-minded,  but  fear,  Rom. 
ii.  20. 

Secondly,  Nor  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  which  I  confess  is 
i  very  hard  lesson  for  a  rich  man  to  learn,  nothing  being  more 
fifficult  than  to  have  riches,  and  not  to  trust  in  them,  as  our 
Saviour  himself  intimates,  in  explaining  the  one  by  the  other, 
is  things  very  rarely  severed,  Mark  x.  23,  24.  But  certainly 
t  is  altogether  as  foolish  a  thing  to  trust  in  riches,  as  it  is  to 
>e  proud  of  them.     For, 

1.  They  of  themselves  can  stand  us  in  no  stead,  they  can- 
iot  defend  us  from  any  evil,  nor  procure  us  any  good :  they 
iannot  of  themselves  either  feed  us,  or  clothe  us,  or  refresh  us, 
>r  be  any  ways  advantageous  to  us,  without  God's  blessing, 

U2 


lliouglits  upon 

Prov.  xi.  4.  how  much  less  can  they  be  able  to  deliver  us  from 
wrath  to  come.      No,  we  may  take    it   foi   B  certain  truth.  our 
riches  may  much  further  our  eternal  misery,  but  they  can  i 
conduce  any  thing  to  our  future  happii 

if  we  trust  in  them,  be  sure  they  will  fail  u<,  and  bring 
US  into   misery  and   desolation  ;    for  to   trust   in   any  thing  hut 
(io<l.  l-  certainty  one  of  the  highest  sins  we  can  be  guilt 
jt  is  in  plain  terms  idolatry:    and    therefore   In   that  trusteXh  in  , 

riches  is  stare  to  fall.  Pro?,  m.  28.  for  this  is  to  deny  God,  Job! 

\x.\i.  24,       ■ 

They  are  hut  uncertain  riches,  they  make  themselves  wings  i 
andjly  away,  Prov.  win.  5.     They  are  in  continual  motion. 
ebbing  and  flowing,  and  never  continuing  in  one  stay.  So  that 

you  are  never  Sure  Of  keeping  them  one  day  ;  and  what  rea- 
son then  can  we  have  to  trust  on  them  .'  especially  consider- 
ing, that  they  are  n<»t  only  uncertain,  hut  uncertainty  itself,  as 
the  word  h«  re  signifies,  Trust  not  m  tin  uncertainty  of  riehes. 

But  in  the  living  God  :  be,  he  is  to  be  the  only  object  of  our 
trust,  whether  we  have  or  have  not  any  thii  t  on; 

or,  to  speak  more  properly,  there  is  nothing  that  upon 

good  grounds  make  our  trust  and  confidence,  bul  only  him. 
who  governs  and  disposeth  of  all  thin  ing  to  his  own 

pleasure.  So  that  it  is  he  and  he  alone  that  giveth  us  all  things 
richly  to  enjoy,  [t  is  not  our  wit  or  policy,  it  is  not  our 
strength  or  industry,  it  is  not  our  trading  <»r  trafficking  in  the 
world,  it  is  none  but  God  that  giveth  us  what  we  have,  Dent. 
viii.  11  .  Prov.  \.  12.  And  as  it  is  he  that  maketh  men  v\<-\]. 
so  he  can  make  them  poor  again,  win  n  be  himst  If  p!<  aseth  ; 
and  they  h  he  will  do  so  too,  unless  they  ob- 

\  hat  is  here  charged  upon  them. 

There  are  four  duties  still  behind,  which  we  are  here  com- 
manded to  charge  all  those  w  bo  are  rich  to  observe. 

I.  That  they  </<>  good.  In  treating  of  which,  1  might  shew 
the  several  qualifications  required  to  the  making  up  of  an  ac- 
tion good  :  as  that  the  matter  of  it  must  be  Lr«><»d,  as  com- 
manded, or  at  least  allowed  by  God  ;  that  the  manner  >.)['  per- 
forming it  be  good,  as  that  it  be  done  obediently,  understand- 
ingly,  willingly,  cheerfully,  humbly,  and  Bincerely  ;  and  that 
the  end  be  pood  too.  so  as  that  it  be  directed  ultimately  to  the 
glory  of  God.  But  not  to  insist  upon  that  now,  I  shall  only 
consider  what  kind  of  good  works  the  rich  are  here  command- 
ed to  do,  as  they  are  rich  men.  And  they  are  two,  works  of 
piety,  and  works  of  charity. 

1.  They  are  here  commanded  to  do  works  of  piety  :  where 
by  works  of  piety,  I  mean  not  their  loving  and  fearing,  and 


Worldly  Riches.  23fl 


Ipnouring  of  God,  nor  yet  their  praying  to  him,  their  hearing 
is  word,  or  praising  his  name,  for  such  works  of  piety  as  these 
re,  the  poorest  as  well  as  the  richest  persons  amongst  us  are 
ound  to  do ;  whereas  the  Apostle  here  speaks  only  of  such 
forks  as  they  who  are  rich  are  bound  to  do,  upon  that  account 
lecause  they  are  so.  And  therefore  by  works  of  piety  here,  I 
nderstand  such  works  as  tend  to  the  honour  of  his  name,  to 
^ie  performance  of  worship  and  homage  to  him,  to  the  encou- 
agement  of  his  ministers,  the  propagating  of  his  Gospel,  and 
he  conversion  of  sinners  to  him  ;  all  which  they  are  bound  to 
lo,  to  the  utmost  of  their  power,  out  of  the  estates  which  for 
purposes  he  hath  entrusted  with  them.  For  thus  they 
ire  expressly  commanded  to  honour  the  Lord  with  all  their 
lubstance,  or  riches,  and  with  the  first-fruits  of  all  their  in- 
crease, Prow  iii.  9.  And  the  reason  is,  because  God  is  the 
miversal  proprietor,  the  head  landlord  of  all  the  world,  and  we 
pave  nothing  but  what  we  hold  under  him  ;  neither  are  we  any 
more  than  tenants  at  will  to  him,  who  may  fine  us  at  his  own 
pleasure,  or  throw  us  out  of  possession  whensoever  he  sees 
good.  Now  leaf  we  should  forget  this,  even  upon  what  tenure 
it  is  that  we  hold  our  estates,  God  hath  enjoined  us  to  pay  him, 
as  it  were,  a  quit-rent,  or  tribute  out  of  what  we  pos 
as  an  acknowledgment  that  it  is  by  his  favour  and  blessing 
alone  that  we  do  possess  it.  So  that  whatsoever  we  do,  or 
are  able  to  offer  to  him.  is  but  a  due  debt  which  we  owe  him  ; 
which  if  we  oeglecl  t<»  pay  him.  we  lose  our  tenure,  and  for- 
feit what  we  have  to  the  Lord  of  the  manor,  the  supreme  Pos- 
sessor of  the  world.  Hence  it  is,  that  in  all  ages,  they  who 
were  truly  pious,  and  had  a  due  sense  of  God  upon  their  hearts, 
were  always  very  careful  to  pay  this  their  homage  unto  God; 
insomuch,  that  many  of  them  never  thought  they  could  give 
enough  to  any  pious  use,  wherein  to  testify  their  acknowledg- 
ment of  God's  dominion  over  them,  and  his  right  and  propriety 
m  what  they  had.  A.  notable  instance  whereof  we  have  in  the 
children  of  Israel  ;  for  when  the  tabernacle  was  to  be  built  for 
the  service  and  worship  of  God,  they  were  so  far  from  being 
backward  in  contributing  towards  it,  that  they  presently  brought 
more  than  could  be  used  in  the  building  of  it,  Exod.  xxxvi.  5, 
6,  7.  So  it  was  too  in  the  building  of  the  temple,  which  Da- 
vid, and  the  chiefs  or  nobles  of  Israel,  made  great  prepara- 
tions for,  1  Chron.  xxix.  6,  7,  8.  And  that  they  did  this,  there- 
by to  acknowledge  God  to  be  the  Lord  and  Giver  of  all,  is 
plain  from  the  following  words,  ver.  11,  12,  13.  The  same 
was  also  observed  in  the  building  of  the  second  temple,  as  the 
raising  the  first  out  of  its  rubbish,  wherein  it  had  lain  for  many 


236  Thoughts  upon 

years.  And  as  for  Christians,  I  need  not  tell  you  how  for- 
ward those  who  have  been  truly  pious,  have  always  been  in 
doing  such  works  of  piety,  seeing  most  of  the  churches  in 
Christendom,  or  be  sure  in  this  nation,  have  been  erected  by 
particular  persons.  And  it  is  very  observable,  that  the  more 
eminent  any  place  or  age  hath  been  for  piety  and  devotion,  the 
more  pious  works  have  been  always  done  in  it,  for  the  service 
and  worship  of  Almighty  God  ;  which  plainly  shews,  that 
where  such  works  are  wanting,  whatsoever  pretences  they  may 
make,  there  is  no  such  thing  as  true  piety,  and  the  fear  of  God. 
And  therefore,  as  ever  we  desire  to  manifest  ourselves  to  be 
what  we  profess,  true  Christians  indeed,  men  fearing  God,  and 
hating  covetousness,  we  must  take  all  opportunities  to  express 
our  thankfulness  unto  God  for  what  we  have,  by  devoting  as 
much  as  we  can  of  it  to  his  service  and  honour. 

2.  Besides  these  works  of  piety  towards  God,  the  rich  are 
enjoined  also  works  of  charity  towards  the  poor,  which  though 
they  have  an  immediate  reference  to  the  poor,  yet  God  looks 
upon  them  as  given  to  himself,  Prov.  xiv.  31.  xix.  17.  Matt, 
xxv.  40.  Hence  it  is  that  God  accepts  of  such  works  as  these 
also,  for  part  of  the  tribute  which  we  owe  him  ;  whereby  we 
acknowledge  the  receipt  of  what  we  have  from  him,  and  ex- 
press our  thankfulness  unto  him  for  it,  without  which  we  have 
no  ground  to  expect  a  blessing  upon  what  we  have,  nor  that  it 
should  be  really  good  to  us.  For,  as  the  apostle  tells  us,  every 
creature  of  God  is  good,  if  it  be  received  with  thanksgiving, 
not  else,  1  Tim.  iv.  4.  But  no  thanksgiving  is  acceptable  but 
that  which  is  expressed  by  works  as  well  as  words.  And 
therefore  it  is  necessary  for  us  to  pay  this  duty  and  service  to 
God  out  of  what  we  have,  in  order  to  the  cleansing  and  sanc- 
tifying the  residue  of  our  estates  unto  us,  without  which  we 
have  not  the  lawful  use  of  wrhat  we  possess  ;  but  every  thing 
we  have  is  polluted^and  unclean  to  us,  as  our  Saviour  himself 
intimates,  Luke  xi.  41.  A  thing  much  to  be  considered.  For 
I  verily  believe  that  the  great  reason  why  so  many  estates  are 
blasted  so  soon,  and  brought  to  nothing  amongst  us,  is  because 
men  do  not  render  unto  God  his  duty  and  tribute  out  of  what 
they  have,  and  therefore  it  is  no  wonder  that  God  in  his  provi- 
dence turns  them  out  of  possession,  and  gives  their  estates  to 
other  persons,  who  shall  be  better  tenants  to  him,  and  be  care- 
ful to  pay  him  the  duties  which  he  requires  of  them.  And 
therefore,  in  order  to  men's  securing  their  estates  to  them- 
selves and  posterity,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  they  observe 
the  duty  which  we  are  here  recommended  to  charge  upon  all 


Worldly  Riches.  237 

that  are  rich  in  this  world,  even  to  do  good  witli  what  they 
have,  and  not  only  so,  but 

II.  To  be  rich  too  in  good  works ;  that  is,  not  only  to  do 
good,  but  to  do  as  much  good  as  they  are  able  with  their  riches, 
so  as  to  proportion  their  good  works  to  the  riches  which  God 
hath  given  them  wherewith  to  do  them,  according  to  the  apos- 
tle's direction,  1  Cor.  xvi.  2.  Thus  in  the  place  before  quo- 
ted, Luke  xi  41.  where  our  Saviour  bids  the  Pharisees  to  give 
alms  of  such  things  as  they  have,  his  words  are  ru,  evovret  frore  ryv 
eXeviMTvvw  give  alms  as  much  as  ye  are  able,  for  so  the  words 
properly  signify.  And  verily  whatsoever  we  do,  unless  it  be 
as  much  as  we  can,  God  will  not  look  upon  us  as  doing  any 
thing  at  all :  for  we  must  not  think  to  compound  with  him. 
When  he  hath  given  us  all  we  have,  he  expects  that  we  render 
all  that  he  requires  of  us,  that  is,  as  much  as  we  are  able  to  pay 
unto  him.  As  if  a  man  owes  you  money,  you  will  not  accept  of 
part  instead  of  the  whole  ;  so  neither  will  God  from  us  ;  we  all 
owe  him  as  much  as  we  are  able  to  devote  to  his  service  and 
honour,  and  we  must  not  think  to  put  him  off*  with  part  of  it ; 
for  he  reckons  that  he  receives  nothing  from  us,  unless  it  be 
proportionable  to  what  he  hath  bestowed  upon  us.  But  how 
little  soever  it  is  that  we  give  or  offer  to  him,  if  it  be  but  an- 
swerable to  our  estates,  it  will  be  accepted  by  him.  This  our 
Saviour  himself  hath  assured  us  of,  Mark  xii.  43,  44.  From 
whence  we  may  certainly  conclude,  that  there  is  not  the  poorest 
person  whatsoever  but  may  be  as  rich  in  good  works  as  the 
richest,  because  God  doth  not  measure  the  goodness  of  our 
works  by  their  bulk  or  quantity,  but  by  the  proportion  which 
they  bear  to  our  estates  :  so  that  he  that  gives  a  penny  may  do 
as  good  a  work  as  he  that  gives  a  pound,  yea,  and  a  better  too, 
because  his  may  be  as  much  as  he  is  able,  whereas  the  other's 
is  not.  I  wish  all  men  would  seriously  weigh  and  consider 
this,  lest  otherwise  they  go  out  of  the  world  without  ever  hav- 
ing done  one  good  work  in  it :  for  we  may  assure  ourselves, 
he  that  is  not  thus  rich  in  good  works,  doth  no  good  at  all  with 
his  riches. 

But  it  is  farther  to  be  considered  here,  that  this  expression, 
rich  in  good  works,  implies  that  good  works  are  indeed  our 
principal  riches  ;  and  that  men  must  not  compute  their  riches 
so  much  from  what  they  have,  as  from  what  they  give  and  de- 
vote to  God.  For  what  we  have  is  not  ours,  but  God's  in  our 
hands  ;  but  what  we  give  is  ours  in  God's  hands,  and  he  ac- 
knowledged himself  our  debtor  for  it,  in  that  he  tells  us  that 
we  lend  it  to  him,  and  promiseth  to  pay  it  us  again,  Prov.  xix. 
J 7.     And  therefore  they  who  cast  up  their  accounts  to  know 


238  Thoughts  upon 

how  rich  they  are,  ought  not  to  reckon  upon  what  they  have 
lying  by  them,  nor  upon  their  houses  and  lands  that  are  made 
over  to  them,  nor  yet  upon  what  is  owing  to  them  by  men  ; 
but  should  reckon  only  upon  what  they  have  given  to  pious  or 
charitable  uses,  upon  what  treasure  they  have  laid  up  in  heaven. 
For  whatsoever  they  may  think  at  present,  I  dare  assure  them, 
that  will  be  found  to  be  their  only  riches  another  day.  And 
therefore  if  any  one  desires  to  be  rich  indeed,  let  him  take  my 
advice,  do  what  good  he  can  with  the  riches  he  hath,  and  then 
he  will  be  rich  enough  :  for  this  is  the  way  to  be  rich  in  good 
works.  But  in  order  unto  that,  he  must  likewise  observe  what 
follows,  to  be 

III.  Ready  to  distribute ;  that  is,  ready  upon  all  occasions 
to  pay  his  tribute  unto  God,  whensoever  he  in  his  providence 
calls  for  it ;  taking  all  opportunities  of  doing  good,  and  glad 
when  he  can  find  them,  Gal.  vi.  10.  Thus  therefore  when- 
soever any  opportunities  present  themselves  of  expressing  our 
thankfulness  unto  God,  by  works  either  of  piety  or  charity, 
whatsoever  other  business  may  be  neglected,  we  must  be  sure 
to  lay  hold  on  that.  For  I  dare  say,  that  there  is  none  but 
will  grant  me  that  there  is  all  the  reason  in  the  world  that  God 
should  be  served  in  the  first  place,  and  that  he  should  have  the 
first  fruits  of  all  our  increase,  Prov.  iii.  9.  Exod.  xxiii.  19. 
Deut.  xxvi.  2.  And  therefore  we  cannot  but  acknowledge, 
that  works  of  piety  towards  God  and  of  charity  to  the  poor, 
or  as  the  Scripture  calls  them  in  general  good  works,  are  al- 
ways to  be  done  in  the  first  place  ;  and  whatsoever  other  works 
may  be  omitted,  besure  they  must  not.  But  we  ought  still  to 
be  as  ready  to  pay  our  duties  unto  God,  as  we  are  to  receive 
any  thing  from  him,  as  ready  to  give  as  to  receive ;  and  by 
consequence  as  men  let  no  opportunities  slip  wherein  they  can 
increase  their  estates,  they  are  much  less  to  let  any  opportuni- 
ties pass  wherein  they  can  any  way  improve  their  estates  for 
God's  glory  and  others'  good ;  but  they  ought  to  be  ready  upon 
all  occasions  to  distribute  what  they  can  upon  charitable  and 
pious  uses. 

IV.  Willing  to  communicate ;  as  we  must  do  it  with  a  ready 
hand,  so  we  must  do  it  with  a  willing  heart  too.  Thus  we  are 
enjoined  to  serve  God  willingly,  1  Chron.  xxviii.  9.  and  cheer- 
fully, 2  Cor.  ix.  6,  7.  Indeed  God  accepts  of  none  but  free- 
will offerings.  If  we  be  not  as  willing  to  do  good  works  as 
we  are  to  have  wherewith  to  do  them,  we  may  be  confident 
God  will  never  accept  of  them.  And  therefore  in  plain  terms, 
if  any  one  would  be  rich  in  good  works  as  becometh  Chris- 
tians, and  as  it  is  our  interest  to  be,  they  must  not  stay  till 


Worldly  Riches.  239 

they  be  compelled,  persuaded,  or  entreated  by  others  to 
do  them  ;  but  they  must  set  upon  them  of  their  own  accord, 
out  of  pure  obedience  unto  God,  and  from  a  due  sense  of  their 
constant  dependence  upon  him,  and  manifold  obligations  to 
him ;  yea,  so  as  to  take  pleasure  in  nothing  in  the  world  so 
much  as  in  paying  their  respects  and  service  to  Almighty  God, 
1  Chron.  xxix.  14,  15,  17. 

Now  to  encourage  the  rich  to  employ  their  estates  thus  in 
doing  good,  the  Apostle  adds  in  the  last  place,  that  this  is  the 
way   to  lay  up  for  themselves  a  good  foundation  against  the 
time  to  come,  that  they  may  lay  hold  on  eternal  life.     A  strange 
expression !  yea  such  a  one,  that  had  not  St.  Paul  himself  spoke 
I  it,  some  would  have  been  apt  to  have  excepted  against  it  for 
an  error  or  mistake.     What,  good  works  the  foundation  of  e- 
,  ternal  life  ?  No,  that  is  not  the  meaning  of  it ;  but  that  good 
\  works  are  the  foundation  of  that  blessed  sentence  which  they 
shall   receive,  who  are  made  partakers  of  eternal  life,  as  is 
plain  from  our  Saviour's  own  words,  Matt.  xxv.  34,  35,  36. 
And  verily  although  there  be  no  such  intrinsic  value  in  good 
works,  whereby  they  that  do  them  can  merit  any  thing  from 
God  by  their  doing  of  them  ;  yet  nothing  can  be  more  certain, 
than  that  God  of  his  infinite  mercy  in  Jesus  Christ  will  so  ac- 
cept of  them,  as  to  reward  us  for  them  in  the  world  to  come. 
For  this  our  Saviour  himself  doth  clearly  intimate  to  us,  in  the 
place  before  quoted,  as  also,  Matt.  vi.  20.  Luke  xii.  33.  xvi. 
9.  that  is,  distribute  and  employ  the  unrighteous  or  deceitful 
riches  you  have  in  this  world  in  such  a  way  as  is  most  pleasing 
and  acceptable  unto  God,  that  so  he  may  be  your  friend,  and 
receive  you  into  everlasting  habitations,  when   these  transient 
and  unstable  riches  fail  you.     From  whence  I  beg  leave  to  ob- 
serve, that  to  do  good  with  what   we  have   is  the  only   way 
whereby  to  improve  our  estates  for  our  own  good,  so  as  to  be 
the  better  for  them  both  in  this  and  also  in  the  world  to  come. 
The  Rabbins  have  a  good  saying,  that  good  works  are  the  salt 
of  riches,  that  which  preserves  them   from  corruption,   and 
makes  them  savoury  and  acceptable  unto  God,  as  also  useful 
and  profitable  to  the  owners.     Unless  we  do  good  with  our 
estates,  we  forfeit  our  title  to  them  by  the  non-payment  of  the 
rent-charge  which  God  hatli  reserved  to  himself  upon  them  ; 
and  therefore  we  may  justly  expect  every  moment  to  be  cast 
out  of  possession ;  or  howsoever  though  he  may  forbear   us 
a  while,  yea  so  long  as  we  are  in  this  world,  what  good,  what 
benefit,  what  comfort  shall  we  have  of  our  estates  in  the  world 
to  come  ?  certainly  no  more  than  the  rich  man  in  the  Gospel 
had,  when  he  lay  scorching  in  hell-fire,  and  had  not  so  much 


240  Thoughts  upon 

as  a  drop  of  water  to  cool  his  inflamed  tongue.     Whereas  on 
the  other  side,  if  we  do  good  with  our  estates,  if  we  devote 
them  to  the  service  of  God,  and  to  the  relief  of  the  poor,  by 
this  means  we  shall  not  only  secure  the  possession  of  them  to  * 
ourselves  here,  but  shall  also  receive  comfort  and  benefit  from 
them  in  the  world  to  come ;  so  that  our  estates  will  not  die 
with  us,  but  we  shall  receive  benefit  by  them,  and  have  cause 
to  bless  God  for  them  unto  all  eternity  :   the  apostle  himself  I 
assuring  us,  that  by  this  means  we  shall  lay  up  for  ourselves  a  I 
good  foundation  for  the  time  to  come,  so  as  to  lay  hold  on  1 
eternal  life. 

This  one  argument  being  duly  weighed,  I  hope  I  need  not  1 
use  any  more  to  persuade  men  to  do  good  with  what  they  have, 
and  to  make  the  best  use  of  it  they  can.     For  I  know  I  write    j 
to  Christians,  at  least  to  such  as  profess  themselves  to  be  so  ; 
and  therefore  to  such  as  believe  there  is  another  world  besides    \ 
this  we  live  in,  and  by  consequence  that  it  concerns  them  to    ] 
provide  for  that,  which,  as  I  have  shown,  we  may  do  in  a  plen- 
tiful manner,  by  the  right  improvement  of  what  God  hath  en- 
trusted with  us  in  this  world.      What  then  do  the  generality  of    ' 
men  mean  to  be  so  slack  and  remiss  in  laying  hold  on  all  op- 
portunities of  doing  good !  what,  do  they  think  it  possible  to 
lose  any  thing  they  do  for  God  !  or  do  they  think  it  possible  to 
employ  their  estates  better  than  for  his  service  and  honour  who 
gave  them  to  us  !  I  cannot  believe  any  think  so ;  and  therefore 
must  needs  advise  the  rich  again  and  again  not  to  lay  up  their 
talent  in  a  napkin,  but  to  use  their  estates  to  the  best  advan- 
tage for  God  and  their  own  souls,  that  so  when  they  go  from 
hence    into    the    other    world,    they    may    be    received  into 
eternal  glory,  with  a  well  done  good  and  faithful  servants, 
enter  you  into  your  Master" s  joy. 

But  fearing  lest  these  moral  persuasions  may  not  prevail  so 
much  upon  my  readers  as  I  desire  they  might,  they  must  give 
me  leave  farther  to  tell  them,  that  I  am  here  commanded  to 
charge  them  that  are  rich  in  this  world,  to  be  rich  also  in  good 
works  :  and  therefore  seeing,  as  I  have  shown,  there  are  few 
but  who  in  a  Scripture-sense  are  rich  in  this  world,  in  obe- 
dience to  this  command  which  here  is  laid  upon  me,  in  the 
name  of  the  most  high  God,  I  charge  you,  and  not  I  only, 
but  the  eternal  God  himself,  he  wills  and  requires  all  those 
whom  he  hath  blessed  with  riches  in  this  world,  that  they  be 
not  high-minded,  nor  trust  in  uncertain  riches,  but  that  they 
put  their  whole  trust  and  confidence  only  in  the  living  God, 
whose  all  things  are,  and  who  gives  us  whatsoever  we  have  : 
that  they  do  good  with  what  he  hath  put  into  their  hands,  lav- 


Worldly  Riches.  241 

lg  it  out  upon  works  of  piety  towards  him,  and  of  charity  to 
he  poor,  that  his  worship  may  be  decently  performed,  and  the 
oor  liberally  relieved ;  that  they  be  rich  in  good  ivories,  striv- 
ng  to  excel  each  other  in  doing  good  in  their  generation  ;  that 
hey  be  ready  every  moment  to  distribute,  and  always  willing 
o  communicate  to  every  good  work,  wherein  they  can  pay 
heir  homage  and  express  their  thankfulness  to  him  for  what 
hey  have. 


THOUGHTS 


VPON 


SELF-DENIAL. 


THE  most  glorious  sight  questionless  that  was  ever  to  be 
seen  upon  the  face  of  the  earth,  was  to  see  the  Son  of  God 
here  ;  to  see  the  supreme  Being  and  Governor  of  the  world 
here  ;  to  see  the  Creator  of  all  things  conversing  here  with  his 
own  creatures  ;  to  see  God  himself  with  the  nature,  and  in  the 
shape  of  man,  walking  about  upon  the  surface  of  the  earth  ; 
and  discoursing  with  silly  mortals  here  ;  and  that  with  so  much 
majesty  and  humility  mixed  together,  that  every  expression 
might  seem  a  demonstration  that  he  was  both  God  and  man. 
It  is  true,  we  were  not  so  happy  as  to  see  this  blessed  sight ; 
howsoever,  it  is  our  happiness  that  we  have  heard  of  it,  and 
have  it  so  exactly  described  to  us,  that  we  may  as  clearly  ap- 
prehend it  as  if  we  had  seen  it :  yea,  our  Saviour  himself  hath 
pronounced  those  in  a  peculiar  manner  blessed,  who  have  not 
seen,  and  yet  have  believed,  John  xx.  29.  that  is,  who  never 
saw  Christ  in  the  manger,  nor  in  the  temple  ;  who  never  saw 
him  prostrate  before  his  Father  in  the  garden,  nor  fastened  by 
men  unto  his  cross  ;  who  never  saw  him  preaching  the  Gos- 
pel, nor  working  miracles  to  confirm  it ;  who  never  saw  him 
before  his  passion,  nor  after  his  resurrection,  and  yet  do  as 
firmly  believe  whatsoever  is  recorded  of  him,  as  if  they  had 
seen  it  with  their  eyes.  Such  persons  our  blessed  Saviour 
himself  asserts  to  be  truly  blessed,  as  having  such  a  faith  as  is 
the  substance  of  things  hoped  for,  and  the  evidence  of  things 
not  seen,  Heb.  xi.  1 . 

Hence  therefore,  although  we  lived  not  in  our  Saviour's 
time,  and  therefore  saw  him  not  do  as  never  man  did,  nor 
heard  him  speak  as  never  man  spake,  we  may  notwithstanding 
be  as  blessed,  or  rather  more  blessed  than  they  that  did.  If 
we  do  but  give  credit  to  what  is  asserted  of  him,  and  receive 
and  believe  what  is  represented  to  us  in  his  holy  Gospels, 


Self-Denial.  243 

where  by  faith  we  may  still  see  him  working  miracles,  and  hear 
I  him  declaring  his  will  and  pleasure  to  his  disciples,  as  really 
|  as  if  we  had  then  been  by  him.  And  therefore  whatsoever  we 
I  read  in  the  Gospel  that  he  spake,  we  are  to  hearken  as  dili- 
•  gently  to  it,  as  if  we  heard  him  speak  it  with  our  own  ears, 
and  be  as  careful  in  the  performance  of  it,  as  if  we  had  re- 
ceived it  from  his  own  mouth  :  for  so  we  do,  though  not  im- 
mediately, yet  by  the  infallible  pen  of  them  that  did  so.  And 
seeing  he  never  spake  in  vain,  or  to  no  purpose,  nor  suffered 
an  idle  or  superfluous  word  to  proceed  out  of  his  sacred  and 
divine  mouth  ;  whatsoever  he  asserted,  we  are  to  look  upon  as 
necessary  to  be  believed,  because  he  asserted  it.  And  what- 
soever he  commanded,  we  are  to  look  upon  as  necessary  to  be 
observed,  because  he  hath  commanded  it ;  for  we  must  not 
think  that  his  assertions  are  so  frivolous,  or  his  commands  so 
impertinent,  that  it  is  no  great  matter  whether  we  believe  the 
one  and  obey  the  other,  or  no  :  no,  if  we  expect  to  be  justifi- 
ed and  saved  by  him,  he  expects  to  be  believed  and  obeyed  by 
us,  without  which  he  will  not  look  upon  us  as  his  disciples,  nor 
by  consequence  as  Christians,  but  strangers  and  aliens  to  him, 
whatsoever  our  professions  and  pretences  are. 

It  is  true,  we  live  in  an  age  wherein  Christianity  in  the  ge- 
neral notion  of  it  is  highly  courted,  all  sects  and  parties  amongst 
us  making  their  pretences  to  it,  whatsoever  opinions  or  cir- 
cumstances they  differ  in,  be  sure  they  all  agree  in  the  external 
profession  of  the  Christian  religion,  and  by  consequence  in  the 
acknowledgment  that  they  ought  to  be  Christians  indeed.  But 
I  fear  that  men  are  generally  mistaken  about  the  notion  of  true 
Christianity,  not  thinking  it  to  be  so  high  and  divine  a  thing  as 
really  it  is  ;  for  if  they  had  true  and  clear  conceptions  of  it, 
they  would  never  fancy  themselves  to  be  Christians,  upon  such 
low  and  pitiful  grounds  as  usually  they  do,  making  as  if  Chris- 
tianity consisted  in  nothing  else,  but  in  the  external  perform- 
ance of  some  few  particular  duties,  and  in  adhering  to  them 
that  profess  it;  whereas  Christianity  is  a  thing  of  a  much  higher 
and  far  more  noble  nature,  than  such  would  have  it ;  insomuch, 
that  did  we  but  rightly  understand  it,  methinks  we  could  not 
but  be  taken  with  it,  so  as  to  resolve  for  the  future  to  the  ut- 
most of  our  power  to  live  up  to  it,  to  which  could  I  be  an  in- 
strument of  persuading  any,  how  happy  should  I  think  myself? 
Howsoever  it  is  my  duty  to  endeavour  it,  and  for  that  purpose 
I  shall  now  clear  up  the  true  notion  of  Christianity,  that  we 
may  know,  not  what  it  is  to  be  professors  and  pretenders  to 
Christianity,  but  what  it  is  to  be  real  Christians,  and  true  dis- 


244  Thoughts  upon 

ciples  of  Christ  Jesus,  such  as  Christ  will  own  for  his  in  an- 
other world. 

Now  to  know  whom  Christ  will  accept  for  his  disciples,  our 
only  way  is  to  consult  Christ  himself,  and  to  consider  what  it  is 
that  he  requires  of  those  that  follow  him,  in  order  to  be  his  disci- 
ples ;  a  thing  as  easily  understood,  as  it  is  generally  disre- 
garded ;  for  nothing  can  be  more  plain,  than  that  Christ  re- 
quires and  enjoins  all  those  that  would  be  his  disciples,  to  ob- 
serve not  only  some  few,  but  all  the  commands  that  he  hath 
laid  upon  us.  Ye  are  my  friends,  saith  he,  and  therefore  my 
disciples,  if  ye  do  whatsoever  I  command  you,  John  xv.  14. 
So  that  unless  we  do  whatsoever  he  commands  us,  we  are  so 
far  from  being  his  disciples,  that  we  are  indeed  his  enemies. 
Nay,  they  that  would  be  his  disciples,  must  excel  and  surpass 
all  others  in  virtue  and  good  works.  Herein,  saith  he,  is  my 
Father  glorified,  that  ye  bring  forth  much  fruit,  so  shall  ye  be 
my  disciples,  John  xv.  8.  yea,  and  continue  in  them  too,  John 
viii.  31.  He  tells  us  also,  that  they  that  would  be  his  disciples, 
must  love  him  above  all  things,  or  rather,  hate  all  things  in 
comparison  of  him,  Luke  xiv.  26.  And  that  they  love  one  an- 
other, as  he  hath  loved  them,  John  xiii.  35.  To  name'no  more  ; 
read  but  St.  Matt.  xvi.  24.  and  there  you  may  see  what  it  is 
to  be  a  Christian  indeed,  or  what  it  is  that  Christ  requires  of 
those  who  would  be  his  disciples.  If  any  man  will  come  after 
me,  let  him  deny  himself,  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  me.  Did 
we  but  understand  the  true  meaning  of  these  words,  and  or- 
der our  conversation  accordingly,  we  should  both  know  what 
it  is  to  be  true  Christians,  and  really  be  so  ourselves.  For  I 
think  there  is  nothing  that  Christ  requires  of  those  who  desire 
to  be  his  disciples,  but  we  should  perform  it,  could  we  but  ob- 
serve what  is  here  commanded  ;  which  that  we  may  all  do,  I 
shall  endeavour  to  give  the  true  meaning  of  them,  and  of  every 
particular  in  them,  as  they  lie  in  order. 

First,  saith  he,  If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  that  is,  if  any 
man  will  be  my  disciple ;  for  masters  ye  know  use  to  go  be- 
fore, scholars  and  disciples  to  follow  after.  And  our  Saviour 
here  speaks  of  himself  under  the  notion  of  a  master,  that  hath 
disciples  coming  after  him,  and  saith,  that  if  any  one  would  be 
one  of  his  disciples,  so  as  to  go  after  him,  he  must  deny  himself, 
take  up  his  cross,  and  follow  him.  So  that  here  are  three 
things  which  our  blessed  Saviour  requires  of  those  that  would 
be  his  disciples,  and  by  consequence  of  us  who  profess  to  be 
so  ;  for  I  dare  say,  there  is  none  of  us  but  desires  to  be  a 
Christian,  or  at  least  to  be  thought  so  ;  for  we  all  know  and 
believe  Jesus  Christ  to  be  the  only  Saviour  of  mankind,  that 


Self-Denial.  245 

ne  can  save  us  but  he,  and  that  there  is  none  of  us  but  he 

n  save,  and  that  all  those  who  truly  come  to  him  for  pardon 

d  salvation,  shall  most  certainly  have  it.    Hence  it  is  that  we 

ould  all  be  thought  at  least  so  wise,  and  to  have  so  much  care 

f  our  own  souls  as  to  go  after  Christ,  and  be  his  disciples.  I 

ope  there  are  but  few  but  who  really  desire  to  be  so.     But  I 

ould  not  have  any  think  that  it  is  so  easy  a  matter  to  be  a  dis- 

iple  of  Christ,  or  a  real  and  true  Christian,  as  the  world  would 

ake  it ;  no,  we  may  assure  ourselves,  that  as  it  is  the  highest 

onour  and  happiness  we  can  attain  unto,  so  we  shall  find  it  the 

ardest  matter  in  the  world  to  attain  unto  it ;  not  in  its  own 

ature,  but  by  reason  of  its  contrariety  to  our  natural  temper 

knd  inclinations.     For  here  we  see  what  it  is  that  our  blessed 

Saviour  requires  of  those  that  would  go  after  him,  even  nothing 

less  than  to  deny  themselves,  take  up  their  crosses,  and  follow 

him.     All  which  are  far  greater  things  than  at  the  first  sight 

or  reading  they  may  seem  to  be. 

For  first,  saith  he,  If  any  one  will  come  after  me,  let  him  de- 
ny himself;  which  being  the  first  thing  which  Christ  requires 
of  those  that  go  after  him,  it  is  necessary  that  we  search  more 
narrowly  into  the  nature  of  it.  For  if  we  fail  in  this,  we  can- 
not but  fail  in  all  the  rest.  And  therefore,  for  the  opening  of 
this,  I  shall  not  trouble  the  reader  with  the  various  expositions, 
and  the  divers  opinions  of  learned  men  concerning  these  words, 
but  only  mind  him  in  general,  that  the  self-denial  here  spoken 
of  is  properly  opposed  to  self-love,  or  that  corrupt  and  vicious 
habit  of  the  soul,  whereby  we  are  apt  to  admire  and  prefer  our 
own  fancies,  wills,  desires,  interests,  and  the  like,  before  Christ 
himself,  and  what  he  is  pleased  either  to  promise  to  us  or  re- 
quire of  us.  And  therefore,  when  he  commands  us  to  deny 
ourselves,  his  will  and  pleasure  in  general  is  this,  that  we  do  not 
indulge  or  gratify  ourselves  in  any  thing  that  stands  in  opposition 
against,  and  comes  into  competition  with,  his  interest  in  the 
world,  or  ours  in  him,  howsoever  near  and  dear  it  may  be  unto 
us.  But  to  deny  ourselves  whatsoever  is  pleasing  to  ourselves, 
if  it  be  not  so  to  God  and  Christ  too,  so  as  not  to  live  to  our- 
selves, but  only  unto  him  that  died  for  us  ;  to  live  as  those  who 
are  none  of  our  own,  but  are  bought  with  a  price,  and  there- 
fore should  glorify  God  both  in  our  souls  and  in  our  bodies, 
which  are  his,  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20.  But  seeing  this  is  not  only 
the  first  lesson  to  be  learnt  by  Christ's  disciples,  but  that  which 
is  necessarily  required  in  order  to  whatsoever  else  he  com- 
mands from  us,  I  shall  show  you  more  particularly  what  it  is  in 
yourselves  that  you  are  to  deny. 

First,  you  must  deny  vour  own  reasons  in  matters  of  divine 

Y     <■> 


246  Thoughts  upon 

revelation,  so  as  to  use  them  no  farther  than  only  to  search 
into  the  grounds  and  motives  that  we  have  to  believe  them  to 
be  revealed  by  God.  For  this  being  either  proved  or  suppos- 
ed, we  are  not  to  suffer  our  reasons  to  be  too  curious  in  search- 
ing into  them,  but  believe  them  upon  the  word  and  testimony 
of  God  himself,  who  is  the  supreme  truth,  or  verity  itself. 

For  we  who  by  all  our  art  and  cunning  cannot  understanc 
the  reasons  of  the  most  common  and  obvious  things  in  nature 
must  not  think  to  comprehend  the  great  mysteries  of  the  Gos 
pel,  which  though  they  be  not  contrary  to  our  reasons,  ar< 
infinitely  above  them.  For  the  natural  man  receiveth  not  tin 
things  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  for  they  are  foolishness  to  him 
neither  can  he  k?iow  them  because  they  are  spiritually  discerned 
1  Cor.  ii.  14.  So  that  to  the  understanding  of  the  things  o 
the  Spirit,  or  which  the  Spirit  of  God  hath  revealed  to  us,  then 
is  a  great  deal  more  required  than  what  we  have  by  nature 
even  the  supernatural  assistance  of  the  Spirit  himself  that  re 
vealed  them.  And  therefore  if  any  man  amongst  us  seemeii 
to  be  wise  in  this  world,  let  him  become  a  fool  that  he  may  h 
wise,  1  Cor.  iii.  18.  that  is,  he  that  would  be  wise  unto  salva 
tion,  must  look  upon  himself  as  a  fool,  as  one  incapable  b; 
nature  of  understanding  the  things  that  belong  unto  his  ever 
lasting  peace,  without  both  the  revelation  and  assistance  o 
God  himself,  and  therefore  must  not  rely  upon  his  own  judg 
ment,  but  only  upon  God's  testimony  in  what  he  doth  believe 
not  believing  what  his  reason,  but  what  God's  word  tells  him 
looking  upon  it  as  reason  enough  why  he  should  believe  it,  be 
cause  God  hath  said  it. 

I  know  this  is  an  hard  doctrine  to  flesh  and  blood.  For,  as 
Job  tells  us,  Vain  man  would  be  wise,  though  man  be  born  lih 
a  wild  ass's  colt,  Job  xi.  12.  Though  by  nature  we  be  nevei 
so  foolish,  vain,  and  ignorant,  understanding  the  great  myste 
ries  of  the  Gospel  no  more  than  a  wild  ass's  colt  doth  a  mathe 
matical  demonstration,  yet  howsoever  we  would  fain  be  though 
very  wise  men,  yea  so  wise  as  to  be  able  to  comprehend  mat 
ters  of  the  highest,  yea  of  an  infinite  nature,  within  the  narrow 
compass  of  our  finite  and  shallow  capacities.  But  this  is  thai 
which  we  must  deny  ourselves  in,  if  we  desire  to  be  Christ's 
disciples,  so  as  to  acquiesce  in  his  word,  and  believe  what  he 
asserts,  only  because  he  asserts  it,  without  suffering  our  reasor 
to  interpose,  but  looking  upon  his  word  as  more  than  all  the 
reasons  and  arguments  in  the  world  besides. 

Secondly,  You  must  deny  your  own  wills.  Our  wills,  it  is 
true,  at  first  were  made  upright  and  perfect,  every  way  corres- 
pondent to  the  will  of  God  himself,  so  as  to  will  what  he  wills, 


Self-Denial  247 

that  is  what  is  really  good,  and  to  nill  what  he  nills,  that  is 
what  is  really  evil.     But  being  now  perverted,  and*  corrupt 
with  sin,  our  wills  are  naturally  inclined  to  the  evil  which  they 
should  be  averse  from,  and  averse  from  the  good  which  they 
should  be  inclined  to.     So  that  instead  of  choosing  the  good 
and  refusing  the  evil,  we  are  generally  apt  to  choose  the  evil 
and  refuse  the  good  ;  yet  for  all  that  our  wills  are  thus  crook- 
ed and  perverse,  we  cannot  endure  to  have  them  crossed  or 
thwarted  in  any  thing,  but  would  needs  have  our  own  wills  in 
every  thing,  so  as  neither  to  do  any  thing  ourselves,  nor  yet 
j  have  any  thing  done  to  us,  but  just  as  ourselves  will,  who  will 
\  usually  just  contrary  to  what  we  should.     But  now  they  that 
would  be  Christ's  disciples,  must  not  be  thus  self-willed,  but 
i  deny  themselves  the  fulfilling  of  their  own  wills,  when  it  doth 
not  consist  with  the  will  of  God  to  have  them  fulfilled.     This 
|  our  Lord  and  Master  hath  taught  us  by  his  example  as  well  as 
precept,  saying,  Father,  if  thou  be  willing  remove  this  cup  from 
j  me;  nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done,  Luke  xxii.  42. 
Where  we  may  observe,  that  our  blessed  Saviour,  as  man, 
could  not  but  have  a  natural  averseness  from  death,  as  all  men 
I  by  nature  have,  and  that  without  sin.  Yet  though  Christ's  will, 
!  as  man,  was  never  so  pure  and  perfect,  yet  he  wholly  submits 
it  to  the  will  of  God.     He  manifested  indeed  that  it  was  the 
;  will  of  that  nature  which  he  had  assumed  not  to  suffer  death, 
\  saying,  if  it  be  possible  let  this  cup  pass  from  me ;    but  he 

!  shews  withal  that  the  will  of  man  must  still  be  subject  to  the 
will  of  God  ;  and  that  man,  even  as  man,  must  deny  his  own 
will,  whensoever  it  runneth  not  exactly  parallel  with  God's, 

j  saying,  nevertheless,  not  my  will,  but  thine  be  done. 

And  if  Christ  himself  denied  his  own  most  pure  and  perfect 

!  will,  that  his  Father's  might  be  accomplished,  how  much  more 
cause  have  we  to  deny  our  wills,  which  by  nature  are  always 
contrary  to  his  will,  yea  and  to  our  own  good  too,  prefering 
generally  that  which  is  evil  and  destructive  to  us,  before  that 
which  is  truly  good  and  advantageous  for  us  ?  And  verily  a 
great  part  of  true  Christianity  consisted]  in  thus  resigning  our 
wills  to  God's,  not  minding  so  much  which  way  our  own  in- 
clinations bend,  as  what  his  pleasure  and  command  is.  A 
notable  instance  whereof  we  have  in  old  Eli,  who  questionless 
could  not  but  be  very  willing  that  the  iniquity  of  his  sons  might 
be  forgiven,  and  his  family  prosper  in  the  world  ;  yet  howso- 
ever, when  God  had  manifested  his  pleasure  to  him  that  his 
house  should  be  destroyed,  he  submitted  his  own  will  wholly 
unto  God's,  saying,  It  is  the  Lord,  let  him  do  what  sccmcth  him 
good,  1  Sam.  iii.  18.     And  whosoever  of  us  would  be  Christ's 


248  Thoughts  upon 

disciple  indeed,  must  be  sure  thus  to  deny  and  renounce  his 
own  will,"  whensover  it  appears  to  be  contrary  unto  God's,  so 
as  even  to  will,  that  not  his  own  will  but  God's  be  fulfilled,  as 
our  Lord  and  Master  himself  hath  taught  us  each  day  to  pray, 
Thy  mill  be  done  in  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven.  And  whosoever 
hath  learned  this  art  of  making  his  own  will  bow  and  stoop  to 
God's,  hath  made  a  very  good  progress  in  the  Christian  reli- 
gion, especially  in  that  part  of  it  which  requires  us  to  deny 
ourselves. 

And  seeing  we  must  deny  our  wills,  we  must  needs  deny  our 
affections  too,  which  are  indeed  nothing  else  but  the  several 
motions  of  the  will  towards  good  and  evil,  but  usually  they  are 
so  disorderly  and  irregular,  as  to  place  themselves  upon  objects 
directly  opposite  to  what  they  were  designed  for  ;  for  that  we 
ordinarily  love  what  we  ought  to  hate,  and  hate  what  we  ought 
to  love  ;  desire  what  we  ought  to  abhor,  and  abhor  what  we 
ought  to  desire  ;  rejoice  in  those  things  which  we  ought  to 
grieve  for,  and  are  grieved  at  such  things  as  we  ought  to  re- 
joice in.  So  that  if  we  suffer  our  affections  to  move  according 
to  their  natural  tendency  and  corrupt  inclinations,  we  shall  be 
so  far  from  going  after  Christ,  that  we  shall  continually  be  run- 
ning from  him.  And  therefore  it  must  be  our  great  care  and 
study  to  bridle  our  affections,  deny  them  their  unlawful,  and 
fix  them  upon  their  proper  objects  ;  yea,  and  to  deny  ourselves 
too  the  lawful  use  of  such  things  as  our  affections  are  apt  to  be 
unlawfully  placed  upon.  As  for  example  :  it  is  lawful,  yea  our 
duty,  to  love  our  relations  ;  but  if  our  love  to  them  becomes 
exorbitant,  so  as  to  love  them  more  than  God,  our  love  to  them 
must  be  turned  into  hatred  in  comparison  of  our  love  to  him, 
Luke  xiv.  26.  And  whatsoever  lawful  thing  it  is  that  we  take 
pleasure  in,  if  once  we  find  that  our  pleasure  in  that  extin- 
guisheth,  or  but  damps  that  pleasure  which  we  used  or  ought 
to  have  in  God,  we  are  to  deny  ourselves  such  pleasures  as  these 
are,  and  rather  despise  ourselves  than  God. 

Yea,  we  must  deny  ourselves  moreover  the  use  and  enjoy- 
ment of  our  estates  and  earthly  possessions,  whensoever  they 
come  in  competition  with  his  glory.  So  that  if  it  comes  to  that 
point,  that  we  must  either  leave  our  estates  to  enjoy  Christ,  or 
leave  Christ  to  enjoy  our  estates,  we  must  be  willing  and  ready, 
without  any  more  ado,  to  abandon  and  renounce  whatsoever 
else  we  have,  rather  than  our  interest  in  Christ.  For  indeed 
he  is  not  worthy  to  be  Christ's  disciple  that  doth  not  prefer  him 
before  all  things  else  ;  neither  he  that  loves  the  world  at  all  in 
comparison  of  Christ :  For  if  any  man  love  the  world,  the  love 
of  the  Father  is  not  in  him,  1  John  ii.  15.     And  therefore  he 


Self -Denial.  249 

that  would  be  Christ's  disciple  indeed,  must  fix  his  heart  so  fast 
on  Christ,  that  it  hang  loose  and  indifferent  as  to  all  things 
here  below,  being  no  more  proud  of  them,  no  more  delighted 
Lin  them,  no  more  concerned  about  them,  than  as  if  he  had  them 
[not.  So  that  though  he  have  all  things  besides  Christ,  he  must 
pave  nothing  but  him,  or  at  least  in  comparison  of  him  ;  yea, 
be  ready  to  part  with  all  that  he  may  gain  Christ.  And  though 
Imany  of  us  may  think  this  an  hard  saying,  we  may  assure  our- 
selves, it  is  no  more  than  what  we  must  do,  if  we  desire  to  be 
jChrist's  disciples,  Luke  xiv.  33. 

Furthermore,  we  must  deny  ourselves  those  sins  especially, 
and  lusts  which  we  have  or  do  still  indulge  ourselves  in  :  for 
thus  the  Gospel  teacheth  you  in  a  particular  manner,  to  deny 
I  ungodliness  and  worldly  lusts,  Tit.  ii.  12.     And  therefore  we 
I in  vain  pretend  to  be  true  Christians,  so  long  as  we  live  in  any 
'  one  known  sin  with  any  love  unto  it,  or  delight  in  it.     I  sup- 
pose none  of  my  readers  guilty  of  all  sins,  and  I  fear  there  are 
.  few  but  live  in  some.     No  man  but  may  be  naturally  averse 
from  some  sins,  but  it  is  very  rare  to  find  one  that  is  inclined 
,  to  none  ;  for  ordinarily  every  man  hath  his  darling,  his  be- 
loved sin,  his  own  sin,  as  David  himself  once  had,  though  he 
afterwards  kept  himself  from  it,  Psal,  xviii.  23.     So  I  fear 
none  of  my  readers  but  have  some  sin,  which  he  may  in  a  pe- 
culiar manner  call  his  own,  as  being  that  which  his  thoughts 
run  most  upon,  and  his  desires  are  carried  most  unto,  which 
he  labours  most  after,  and  takes  most  pleasure  in,  which  he  is 
most  loth  to  be  reproved  for,  and  most  easily  overcome  by. 
Now  this  and  whatsoever  other  sins  any  of  us  are  addicted  to, 
we  must  wholly  leave,  and  utterly  renounce,  if  ever  we  desire 
to  be  Christ's  disciples.     And  therefore  so  long  as  any  of  us 
live  in  any  known  sin,  as  in  pride  or  prodigality,  in  oppression 
or  covetousness,  in  malice  or  uncleanness,  in   drunkenness, 
uncharitableness,  or  any  other  sin  whatsoever,  we  must  not 
think  ourselves  to  be  Christians  indeed,  Christ  will  never  own 
us  for  his  disciples  ;  for  so  long  as  we  live  in  any  known  sin,  it 
is  that  sin,  not  Christ,  that  is  our  master  ;  and  therefore  if  we 
would  list  ourselves  into  his  service,  we  must  be  sure  to  deny 
ourselves  whatsoever  we  know  to  be  offensive  to  him. 

There  is  still  another  thing  behind  wherein  we  must  deny 
ourselves,  if  we  desire  to  go  after  Christ ;  and  that  is,  we  must 
deny  and  renounce  all  our  self-righteousness,  and  all  hopes 
and  confidences  from  ourselves,  and  from  what  we  have  done, 
which  I  look  upon  as  a  very  great  piece  of  self-denial,  for  na- 
turally we  are  all  prone  to  sacrifice  to  our  own  nets,  to  burn 
incense  to  our  own  drags,  to  boast  of  our  own  good  works, 


250  Thoughts  upon 

and  to  pride  ourselves  with  the  conceit  of  our  own  righteous- 
ness.   Though  we  be  never  so  sinful,  we  would  not  be  thought 
to  be  so,  but  would  very  fain  be  accounted  righteous,  not  only 
by  men,  but  by  God  himself,  for  something  or  other  which 
ourselves  do,  though  when  all  comes  to  all,  we  know  not  what 
that  should  be  ;  but  howsoever  the  pride  of  our  hearts  is  such, 
that  we  are  loth  to  go  out  of  ourselves  to  look  for  righteousness, 
or  to  be  beholden  to  another  for  it.     And  this  is  the  reason 
that  justification  by  faith  in  Christ  hath  had  so  many  adversa- 
ries in  the  world ;  mankind  in  general  being  so  much  in  love 
with  themselves,  and  doting  upon  what  themselves  do,   that 
they  cannot  endure  to  renounce  and  vilify  their  own  obedience 
and  good  works,  so  much  as  to  think  that  they  stand  in  need 
of  any  other  righteousness  besides  their  own  ;  as  if  their  own 
righteousness  was  so  perfect,  that  God  himself  could  find  no 
fault  with  it,  nor  make  any  exceptions  against  it,  but  must 
Weds  acknowledge  them  to  be  just  and  righteous  persons  for  it. 
Whereas,  alas  !  there  is  not  the  best  action  that  ever  a  mere 
mortal  did,  but  if  examined  by  the  strict  rules  of  justice,  it  is 
far  from  being  good,  yea,  so  far,  that  God  himself  may  justly 
pronounce  it  evil,  and  by  consequence  condemn  the  person 
that  did  it,  for  doing  of  it.     And  therefore  I  cannot  but  won- 
der what  it  is  that  any  man  doth  or  can  do,  for  which  he  can 
in  reason  expect  to  be  justified  before  God,  our  very  righte- 
ousness being  as  the  prophet  tells,  but  asjilthy  rags,  and  our 
most  holy  performances  fraught  with  sin  and  imperfection,  and 
therefore  so  far  from  justifying  us,  that  we  may  justly  be  con- 
demned for  them;  but  this  mankind  doth  not  love  to  hear  of, 
the  pride  of  our  hearts  being  such,  that  by  all  means  we  must 
have  something  in  ourselves  whereof  to  glory  before  God  him- 
self.    But  woe  be  to  that  person  who  hath  no  other  righteous- 
ness but  his  own,  wherein  to  appear  before  the  judge  of  the 
whole  world.     For  howsoever  specious  his  actions  may  seem 
to  men,  they  will  be  adjudged  sins  before  the  eternal  God. 

He  therefore  that  would  come  to  Christ,  although  he  must 
labour  after  righteousness  to  the  utmost  of  his  power,  yet  when 
he  hath  done  all,  he  must  renounce  it,  and  look  upon  himself 
as  an  unprofitable  servant ;  for  Christ  came  not  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance,  Matt.  ix.  13.  that  is,  he 
came  not  to  call  such  persons  as  think  they  have  righteousness 
enough  of  their  own  to  serve  their  turns,  for  such  persons 
think  they  have  no  need  of  him,  and  therefore  it  would  be  in 
vain  to  call  them ;  but  he  calls  sinners,  that  is,  such  as  may 
perhaps  be  as  righteous  as  the  other,  but  they  do  not  think 
themselves  to  be  so,  but  look  upon  themselves  as  undone  for 


Self -Denial.  251 

ever,  unless  they  have  something  else  to  trust  to  than  their 
own  good  works  and  obedience  to  the  moral  law.  Such  per- 
sons therefore  Christ  came  to  call,  and  if  they  come  to  him, 
they  cannot  but  find  rest  and  righteousness  in  him  ;  and  if  any 
of  us  desire  to  go  after  Christ,  so  as  to  be  his  disciples,  we 
must  be  sure  to  look  upon  ourselves  as  sinners,  as  deserving 
nothing  but  wrath  and  vengeance  for  whatsoever  we  have  done ; 
we  must  renounce  all  our  own  righteousness,  and  be  so  far 
from  depending  upon  it,  as  to  think  that  we  have  none  to  de- 
pend upon,  for  so  really  we  have  not.  And  when  we  have 
laid  aside  all  thoughts  of  our  own  righteousness,  as  to  the 
matter  of  our  justification  before  God,  then,  and  not  till  then, 
shall  we  be  rightly  qualified  to  embrace  another's,  even  that 
righteousness  which  is  by  faith  in  Christ.  Thus  St.  Paul, 
though  he  had  as  much,  yea,  more  reason  to  trust  in  the  flesh 
or  in  himself  than  others ;  for  himself  saith,  that  as  touching 
the  righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  he  was  blameless,  Phil, 
iii.  6.  yet,  saith  he,  what  things  were  gain  tome,  those  I  count- 
ed loss  for  Christ.  Yea  doubtless,  and  I  count  all  things  but 
loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge  of  Christ  Jesus  my 
Lord.  For  ivhom  I  have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,  and  do 
count  them  but  dung,  that  I  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in 
him,  not  having  mine  own  righteousness,  which  is  of  the  lawt 
but  that  which  is  through  the  faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness 
which  is  of  God  by  faith,  ver.  7,  8,  9.  Thus  therefore  it  is 
that  all  those  must  do,  who  desire  to  be,  as  St.  Paul  was,  real 
disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  as  we  must  forsake  our  sins,  so  we 
must  renounce  our  righteousness  too.  It  is  true,  this  is 
a  great  and  difficult  part  of  self-denial,  thus  to  deny  ourselves 
all  that  pride,  pleasure,  and  confidence,  which  we  used  to  take 
in  the  thoughts  of  our  own  righteousness  and  obedience  to  the  law 
of  God.  But  we  must  remember,  that  the  first  thing  which 
our  Saviour  enjoins  those  that  come  after  him,  is  to  deny 
themselves. 

Thus  I  have  shown  what  it  is  in  ourselves  that  we  must  deny, 
and  how  it  is  that  we  must  deny  ourselves,  if  we  desire  to  go 
after  Christ ;  we  must  deny  ourselves  the  curiosity  of  search- 
ing too  much  into  the  mysteries  of  the  Gospel,  by  the  light  of 
our  own  clouded  reasons ;  we  must  deny  our  self-conceit,  our 
self-will,  our  self-love,  self-interests,  self-confidence,  and  what- 
soever proceeds  from  and  terminates  in  our  sensual  and  sinful 
selves,  so  as  to  have  no  delight  in  nor  dependence  upon  our- 
selves ;  yea,  we  must  so  deny  ourselves,  as  to  be  quite  taken 
off  of  our  former  selves,  and  become  other  creatures  than 
what  before  we  were.  Thus  St.  Ambrose  explains  these  words* 


252  Thoughts  upon 

saying,  Seipsum  sibi  homo  abneget  et  totus  mutetur ;  Let  a  man 
deny  himself  to  himself,  so  as  to  be  wholly  changed  from  what 
he  was.  But  then  you  will  say,  what  need  is  there  of  all  this 
trouble,  what  reason  can  be  given  that  a  man  must  deny  him- 
self before  he  can  be  a  true  Christian  ? 

To  that  I  answer,  it  is  reason  enough  that  Christ  hath  com- 
manded us  to  do  it,  and  surely  he  best  knows  whom  he  will 
accept  of  as  his  disciples,  and  what  is  necessary  to  be  done 
in  order  to  our  being  so.  And  he  hath  said  in  plain  terms,  If 
any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him  deny  himself;  implying, 
that  he  that  doth  not  deny  himself,  cannot  go  after  him. 

But  besides  that,  there  is  an  impossibility  in  the  thing  itself, 
that  any  one  should  be  a  true  Christian,  or  go  after  Christ,  and 
not  deny  himself,  as  may  be  easily  perceived,  if  they  will  but 
consider  what  true  Christianity  requires  of  us,  and  what  it  is 
to  be  a  real  Christian.  A  true  Christian  we  know  is  one  that 
lives  by  faith,  and  not  by  sight,  that  looks  not  at  the  things  which 
are  seen,  but  at  those  things  which  are  not  seen,  that  believes  what- 
soever Christ  hath  said,  trusteth  on  whatsoever  he  hath  prom- 
ised, and  obeyeth  whatsoever  he  hath  commanded  ;  that  re- 
ceiveth  Christ  as  his  only  Priest  to  make  atonement  for  him, 
as  his  only  Prophet  to  instruct,  and  as  his  only  Lord  and  Mas- 
ter to  rule  and  govern  him.  In  a  word,  a  Christian,  is  one  that 
gives  up  himself  and  all  he  hath  to  Christ,  who  gave  himself 
and  all  he  hath  to  him  ;  and  therefore  the  very  notion  of  true 
Christianity  implies  and  supposes  the  denial  of  ourselves,  with- 
out which  it  is  as  impossible  for  a  man  to  be  a  Christian,  as  it 
is  for  a  subject  to  be  rebellious  and  loyal  to  his  prince  at  the 
same  time  ;  and  therefore  it  is  absolutely  necessary  that  we  go 
out  of  ourselves  before  we  can  go  to  him ;  we  must  strip  our- 
selves of  our  very  selves  before  we  can  put  on  Christ ;  for 
Christ  himself  hath  told  us,  that  no  man  can  serve  two  masters ; 
for  either  he  will  hate  the  one  and  love  the  other,  or  else  he  will 
hold  to  the  one  and  dispise  the  other,  Matt.  vi.  24.  We  cannot 
serve  both  God  and  Mammon,  Christ  and  ourselves  too ;  so 
that  we  must  either  deny  ourselves  to  go  after  Christ,  or  else 
deny  Christ  to  go  after  ourselves,  so  as  to  mind  our  own  selfish 
ends  and  designs  in  the  world. 

Wherefore  I  hope  I  need  not  use  any  other  arguments  to  per- 
suade any  to  deny  themselves  in  the  sense  already  explained  ; 
I  dare  say  there  is  none  amongst  us  but  would  willingly  be 
what  we  profess,  even  a  real  Christian,  and  so  go  after  Christ 
here,  as  to  come  to  him  hereafter.  But  we  have  now  seen 
how  Christ  himself  hath  told  us,  that  we  must  deny  ourselves, 
if  we  desire  to  serve  and  enjoy  him.     And  verily  it  is  an  hard 


Self-Denial.  253 

rise  if  we  cannot  deny  ourselves  for  him,  who  so  far  denied 
himself  for  us,  as  to  lay  down  his  own  life  to  redeem  ours.  He 
who  was  equal  to  God  himself,  yea,  who  himself  was  the  true 
God,  so  far  denied  himself,  as  to  become  man,  yea,  a  man  of 
sorrows  and  acquainted  wkh  griefs,  for  us  ;  and  cannot  we 
deny  ourselves  so  much  as  a  fancy,  a  conceit,  a  sin  or  lust,  for 
him  ?  how  then  can  we  expect  that  he  should  own  us  for  his 
friends,  his  servants  or  disciples  ?  No,  he  will  never  do  it,  nei- 
ther can  we  in  reason  expect  that  he  should  give  himself  and 
all  the  merits  of  his  death  and  passion  unto  us,  so  long  as  we 
think  much  to  give  ourselves  to  him,  or  to  deny  ourselves  for 
him.  And  therefore  if  we  desire  to  be  made  partakers  of  all 
those  glorious  things  that  he  hath  purchased  with  his  own  most 
precious  blood  for  the  sons  of  men  ;  let  us  begin  here,  indulge 
our  flesh  no  longer,  but  deny  ourselves  whatsoever  God  hath 
been  pleased  to  forbid.  And  for  that  end,  let  us  endeavour 
each  day  more  and  more  to  live  above  ourselves,  above  the 
temper  of  our  bodies,  and  above  the  allurements  of  the  world, 
live  as  those  who  believe  and  profess  that  they  are  none  of  their 
own,  but  Christ's  ;  his  by  creation,  it  was  he  that  made  us  ; 
his  by  preservation,  it  is  he  that  maintains  us ;  and  his  by  re- 
demption, it  is  he  that  hath  purchased  and  redeemed  us  with 
his  own  blood.  And  therefore  let  us  deny  ourselves  for  the 
future  to  our  very  selves,  whose  we  are  not,  and  devote  our- 
selves to  him  whose  alone  we  are ;  by  this  we  shall  manifest 
ourselves  to  be  Christ's  disciples  indeed,  especially  if  we  do 
not  only  deny  ourselves,  but  also  take  up  our  cross  and  follow 
him  ;  which  brings  me  to  the  second  thing  which  our  blessed 
Saviour  here  requires  of  those  who  would  go  after  him,  even 
to  take  up  their  cross. 

Where,  by  the  cross,  we  are  to  understand  whatsoever  trou- 
bles or  calamities,  inward  or  outward,  we  meet  with  in  the 
performance  of  our  duty  to  God  or  man,  which  they  that  would 
go  after  Christ  must  take  up  as  they  go  along,  without  any 
more  ado,  neither  repining  at  them,  nor  sinking  under  them  ; 
for  we  must  not  think  that  Christ  invites  us  to  an  earthly  para- 
dise of  idleness  and  outward  pleasures,  as  if  we  had  nothing 
to  do  or  to  suffer  for  him.  For  even  as  men,  we  cannot  but 
find  many  crosses  in  the  world,  but  as  Christians  we  must  ex- 
pect more  ;  for  Christ  himself  hath  told  us,  that  in  the  world 
we  shall  have  tribulation,  John  xvi.  33.  And  therefore  what- 
soever we  meet  with,  is  no  more  than  what  we  are  to  look  for; 
especially  if  we  walk  uprightly  in  the  way  that  leads  to  hea- 
ven, we  cannot  but  expect  to  meet  with  many  a  rub  ;  for  God 
himself  hath  told  us,  that  it  is  through  many  tribulations  that 


254  Thoughts  upon 

we  must  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  Acts  xiv.  22.  And 
therefore  we  must  not  think  to  be  carried  up  to  heaven  with  the 
breath  of  popular  applause,  nor  to  swim  through  a  deluge  of 
carnal  pleasures  into  the  haven  of  everlasting  happiness.  No, 
we  must  look  to  be  tossed  to  and  fro  in  this  world,  as  in  a 
raging  and  tempestuous  ocean,  and  never  look  for  perpetual 
calmness  and  tranquillity,  until  we  are  got  above  the  clouds, 
yea,  even  above  the  sun  and  stars  themselves.  This  world  was 
always  a  world  of  trouble,  and  ever  will  be ;  its  very  friends, 
and  they  that  have  their  portion  here,  can  find  no  quiet  nor  sa- 
tisfaction in  it  ;  but  the  disciples  of  Christ  they  are  not  of  this 
world,  as  Christ  himself  tells  us,  John  xvii.  36.  ancl  therefore 
no  wonder  if  the  world  frowns  more  upon  them  than  others. 
The  way  they  walk  in  is  opposite  to  the  world,  it  is  enmity  it- 
self to  the  flesh,  and  therefore  no  wonder  if  they  meet  with  so 
much  enmity  and  opposition  here  ;  the  way  wherein  they  go 
after  Christ  is  a  cross  way,  it  is  cross  to  sin,  cross  to  satan, 
cross  to  the  world,  cross  to  our  very  selves  as  we  are  by  na- 
ture, and  by  consequence  cross  to  all  men  in  the  world  but 
Christ's  disciples,  and  therefore  it  is  no  wonder  they  meet  with 
so  many  crosses  in  it.  But  howsoever,  if  we  desire  to  go  after 
Christ,  he  hath  told  us  beforehand  what  we  must  expect,  as  he 
hath  borne  the  cross  before  us,  he  expects  that  we  now  bear  it 
after  him  ;  yea,  we  must  not  only  bear  it,  but  take  it  up  too  : 
not  that  we  should  run  ourselves  into  danger,  but  that  we  should 
balk  no  duty  to  avoid  it,  so  as  to  be  willing  and  ready  to  un- 
dergo the  greatest  suffering,  rather  than  to  commit  the  least 
sin,  and  to  run  the  greatest  danger  rather  than  neglect  the 
smallest  duty.  If  whilst  we  are  walking  in  the  narrow  path 
of  holiness,  there  happens  to  lie  a  cross  in  the  way,  we  must 
not  go  on  one  side  nor  on  the  other  side  of  it  out  of  the  path 
Ave  walk  in,  neither  must  we  kick  and  spurn  at  it,  but  we  must 
patiently  take  it  up  and  carry  it  along  with  us  :  if  it  be  a  little 
heavy  at  first,  it  will  soon  grow  lighter,  and  not  at  all  hinder, 
but  rather  further  our  progress  towards  heaven. 

But  here  we  must  have  a  great  care  to  understand  our  Sa- 
viour's meaning,  and  so  our  own  duty  aright ;  for  we  must  not 
think  that  every  trouble  we  meet  with  in  the  world  is  the  cross 
of  Christ,  for  we  may  suffer  for  our  fancy  or  humour,  or  per- 
haps for  our  sin  and  transgression  of  the  laws  of  God  or  men, 
and  if  so,  it  is  our  own  cross,  not  Christ's,  which  we  take  upon 
us  ;  we  may  thank  ourselves  for  it,  I  am  sure  Christ  hath  no 
cause  to  thank  us  :  For  this  is  thankworthy,  saith  the  apostle, 
if  a  man  for  conscience  tciccrds  God  endure  grief,  suffering 
wronvfidlv,  I  Peter  ii.  19,  20.     And  therefore  the  dutv  which 


Self-Denial.  255 

^ur  Saviour  here  imposeth  on  us,  in  few  terms,  is  this,  that  we 
pe  ready  not  only  to  do,  but  to  suffer  what  we  can  for  the  glory 
pf  God  and  the  furtherance  of  the  Gospel,  and  that  we  omit 
no  duty,  nor  commit  any  sin  for  fear  of  suffering  ;  not  to  think 
much  of  any  trouble  that  befalls  us  for  Christ's  sake,  but  ra- 
ther to  rejoice  at  it,  even  as  the  apostles  rejoiced,  that  they 
were  accounted  worthy  to  suffer  shame  for  his  name.  Acts  v. 
11.  Which  was  a  clear  instance  of  their  performing  the  duty 
here  enjoined  both  them  and  us,  under  the  name  of  taking  up 
pur  cross. 

And  I  hope  there  is  none  of  us  can  take  it  ill  that  Christ 
hath  imposed  so  severe  a  duty  upon  us  ;  for  we  may  assure 
ourselves  he  requires  no  more  of  us  than  what  himself  hath 
undergone  before,  so  that  we  can  suffer  nothing  for  him,  but 
what  he  hath  suffered  before  for  us.  Have  we  grief  and  trouble 
in  our  hearts  ?  so  had  he,  Matt.  xxvi.  38.  Have  we  pains  and 
tortures  in  our  bodies  ?  so  had  he,  Matt,  xxvii.  29,  30.  Are 
we  derided  and  scoffed  at  ?  so  was  he,  Matt,  xxvii.  31.  Are 
we  arraigned  or  condemned,  yea,  do  we  sutler  death  itself?  it 
is  no  more  than  what  our  Lord  and  Master  hath  done  before. 
And  let  us  remember  what  he  told  us  when  he  was  upon  the 
earth,  the  disciple  is  not  above  his  master,  nor  the  servant  above 
his  lord,  Matt.  x.  24.  If  we  be  Christ's  disciples,  we  cannot 
expect  to  fare  better  in  the  world  than  Christ  himself  did,  nei- 
ther indeed  can  we  fare  so  bad  ;  for  it  is  impossible  that  we 
should  undergo  so  much  for  him  as  he  hath  undergone  for  us, 
ours  being  only  the  sufferings  of  men,  his  the  sufferings  of  one 
who  was  God  as  well  as  man  ;  whereby  sufferings  in  general 
are  sanctified  to  our  human  nature,  it  having  already  under- 
gone them  in  the  person  of  the  Son  of  God,  so  that  it  can  be 
now  no  disparagement  at  all  to  undergo  any  trouble,  as  ha- 
tred, reproach,  poverty,  pain,  yea  death  itself,  or  any  other  ca- 
lamity whatsoever  in  this  world,  seeing  the  Son  of  God  him- 
self, he  that  made  the  world,  underwent  the  same  while  himself 
was  in  it.  And  therefore  we  need  not  think  it  below  us  to 
stoop  down  and  take  up  the  cross  of  Christ,  as  considering 
that  Christ  having  borne  it  before  us,  hath  so  blessed  and  sanc- 
tified it  unto  us,  that  it  is  now  become  an  honourable,  an  ad- 
vantageous, yea  and  a  pleasant  cross,  to  them  that  bear  it  pa- 
tiently, thankfully,  and  constantly  as  they  ought  to  do,  espe- 
cially seeing  it  is  such  a  cross  as  leads  unto  a  crown;  and  what- 
soever we  can  do  or  suffer  for  Christ  here,  will  be  fully  re- 
compensed with  glory  hereafter ;  and  therefore  instead  of  be- 
ing troubled  to  take  up  our  cross,  we  are  rather  to  rejoice  that 
we  have  any  to  take  up, 


256  Thoughts  upon 

Thus  we  see  in  few  words  what  it  is  which  our  Saviour  com- 
mands from  us,  when  he  enjoins  us  to  deny  ourselves,  and  take 
up  our  cross,  even  that  we  do  not  gratify  ourselves  in  any 
thing  that  is  ungrateful  unto  him,  nor  grudge  to  take  up  any 
cross,  or  suffer  any  trouble  we  meet  with  in  the  world  for  his 
sake,  thinking  nothing  too  dear  to  forsake,  nor  any  thing  too 
heavy  to  bear  for  him,  who  thought  not  his  own  life  too  dear, 
nor  the  cross  itself  too  heavy  to  bear  for  us  ;  what  now  re- 
mains, but  that  knowing  our  Saviour's  pleasure,  we  should 
all  resolve  to  do  it.     There  is  none  of  us  but  hope  and  desire 
to  be  saved  by  him,  but  that  we  can  never  be,  unless  we  ob- 
serve what  he  hath  prescribed  in  order  to  our  salvation  :  and 
amongst  other  things,  we  see  how  he  hath  commanded  us  to 
deny  ourselves,  and  take  up  our  cross  ;  as  any  of  us  therefore 
desires  to  be  Christians  indeed,  so  as  to  see  Christ's  face  with 
comfort  in  another  world,  let  us  bethink  ourselves  seriously 
what  sins  we  have  hitherto  indulged  ourselves  in  ;  T  fear  there 
are  but  few,  if  any,  amongst  us,  but  are  conscious  to  them- 
selves, that  they  have  and  do  still  live  either  in  the  constant 
neglect  of  some  known  duty,  or  else  in  the  frequent  commis- 
sion of  some  beloved  sin  ;   what  that  is,  I  dare  not  undertake 
to  tell,  but  leave  that  to  God  and  to  men's  own  consciences  ; 
only  I  desire  them  to  deal  faithfully  with  their  own  souls,  and 
not  suffer  themselves  to  be  fooled  into  a  fond  and  vain  persua- 
sion that  they  have  an  interest  in  Christ,  or  are  truly  his  dis- 
ciples, until  they  deny  themselves  that  sin,  whatsoever  it  is, 
which  they  have  hitherto  indulged  themselves  in.     And  let  us 
not  think  that  we  shall  deny  ourselves  any  real  pleasure  or 
profit,  by  renouncing  our  sins ;  for  what  pleasure  can  we  have 
in  displeasing  God,  or  profit   in  losing  our  own  souls  ?    No, 
we  shall  gratify  ourselves   more    than   we    can  imagine,  by 
denying  ourselves,  as  much  as  we  are  able,  whatsoever  is  of- 
fensive or  displeasing  unto  God  ;  for  we  may  be  sure,  he  that 
came  into  the  world  on  purpose  to  save  us  from  evil,  com- 
mands us  nothing  but  for  our  own  good,  neither  would  he 
ever  have  obliged  us  to  deny  ourselves,  if  we  could  have  been 
saved  without  it ;  and  as  for  the  cross,  that  he  was  so  well  ac- 
quainted with,  that  he  would  never  have  imposed  it  upon  us  to 
take  it  up,  but  that  it  is  indispensably  necessary  for  us.     And 
therefore  if  we  be  what  we  pretend,  real  and  true  Christians, 
let  us  manifest  it  to  the  world  and  to  our  own  consciences,  by 
denying  ourselves  whatsoever  Christ  hath  denied  us,  and  by  ob- 
serving whatsoever  he  hath  commanded  us,  even  to  the  taking 
up  of  any  cross,  that  he  for  his  own  sake  shall  suffer  to  be  laid 


Self-Denial.  257 

lpon  us,  still  remembering,  that  self-deniaj,  though  it  be  un- 
pleasant, is  a  most  necessary  duty ;  and  the  cross,  though  it  be 
lever  so  heavy,  it  is  but  short,  and  hath  nothing  less  than  a 
jrown  annexed  unto  it,  a  glorious  and  eternal  crown,  which 
ill  those  shall  most  certainly  obtain,  who  deny  themselves. 


Y  2 


THOUGHTS 


STRIVING  TO  ENTER  AT  THE  STRAIT  GATE. 


As  certainly  as  we  are  here  now,  it  is  not  long  but  we  shall 
all  be  in  another  world,  either  in  a  world  of  happiness,  or 
else  in  a  world  of  misery ;  or  if  you  will,  either  in  heaven  or 
in  hell.  For  these  are  the  two  only  places  which  all  mankind, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  to  the  end  of  it,  must  live  in 
for  evermore  ;  some  in  the  one,  some  in  the  other,  according 
to  their  carriage  and  behaviour  here  ;  and  therefore  it  is  worth 
the  while  to  take  a  view  and  prospect  now  and  then  of  both 
these  places,  and  it  will  not  be  amiss  if  we  do  it  now  ;  for 
which  end,  I  desire  the  reader  in  his  serious  and  composed 
thoughts  to  attend  me  first  into  the  celestial  mansions,  above 
yonder  glorious  sun  and  the  stars  themselves,  where  not  only 
the  cherubins  and  serephins,  angels  and  archangels,  but  many 
also  of  our  brethren,  the  sons  of  men,  at  this  very  moment 
are  enjoying  the  presence  and  singing  forth  the  praises  of  the 
most  high  God.  There  are  the  spirits  of  just  men  made  per- 
fect, perfect  in  themselves,  and  perfect  in  all  their  actions, 
perfectly  free  from  all  both  sin  and  misery,  perfectly  full  of  all 
true  grace  and  glory,  all  their  faculties  being  reduced  to  that 
most  perfect  and  excellent  frame  and  constitution,  that  their 
understandings  are  continually  taken  up  with  the  contempla- 
tions of  the  supreme  truth,  and  their  wills  in  the  embracement 
of  the  chiefest  good ;  so  that  all  the  inclinations  of  their  souls 
rest  in  God  as  their  proper  centre,  in  whom  by  consequence 
they  enjoy  as  much  as  they  can  desire,  yea,  as  much  as  they 
can  he  made  capable  of  desiring.  For  all  those  infinite  per- 
fections that  are  concentered  in  God  himself,  are  now  in  their 
possession,  to  solace  and  delight  themselves  in  the  full  and  per- 
fect enjoyment  of  them  ;  by  which  means  they  are  as  happy  as 
God  himself  can  make  them,  insomuch  that  at  this  very  mo- 
ment methinks  we  may  all  behold  them  so  ravished,  so  trans- 


Thoughts  upon  striving,  Sfc.  259 

ported  with  their  celestial  joys,  that  it  may  justly  strike  us  into 
;  admiration,  how  creatures,  which  once  were  sinful,  could  ever 
be  made  so  pure,  so  perfect,  and  altogether  so  happy  as  they 
are.  And  could  we  but  leave  our  bodies  for  a  while  below, 
1  and  go  up  to  take  a  turn  in  the  New  Jerusalem  that  is  above, 
we  could  not  but  be  ravished  and  transported  at  the  very  sight 
l  both  of  the  place  and  inhabitants,  every  one  being  far  more 
\  glorious  than  the  greatest  emperors  of  this  world,  with  nothing 
less  than  crowns  of  glory  on  their  heads,  and  sceptres  of  righte- 
ousness in  their  hands,  where  they  think  of  nothing  but  prais- 
ing him,  do  nothing  but  adore  and  worship  him  ;  in  a  word, 
whatsoever  is  agreeable  to  our  natures,  whatsoever  is  desirable 
to  our  souls,  whatsoever  can  any  way  conduce  to  make  men 
happy,  is  fully,  perfectly,  eternally  enjoyed,  by  all  and  every 
person  that  is  in  heaven.  Whereas  on  the  other  side,  if  we 
bring  down  our  thoughts  from  heaven,  and  send  them  as  low 
as  hell,  to  consider  the  most  deplorable  estate  and  condition 
of  those  who  inhabit  the  regions  of  darkness,  them  we  shall 
find  as  miserable  as  the  other  are  happy  ;  not  only  in  that  they 
are  deprived  of  the  vision  and  fruition  of  the  chiefest  good,  but 
likewise  in  that  they  are  in  continual  pain  and  torment,  as 
great  as  infinite  justice  can  adjudge  them  to,  and  infinite  pow- 
er inflict  upon  them  ;  insomuch,  that  could  we  lay  our  ear  to 
the  entrance  of  that  bottomless  pit,  what  howlings  and  shriek- 
ings  should  we  hear,  what  weeping  and  wailing  and  gnashing 
of  teeth  in  the  midst  of  those  infernal  flames,  where,  as  our  Sa- 
viour himself  tells  us,  the  worm  dieth  not,  and  the  fire  is  not 
quenched,  Mark  ix.  44.  that  is,  where  their  consciences  are  al- 
ways gnawed  and  tormented  with  the  remembrance  of  their 
former  sins,  and  the  fire  of  God's  wrath  is  continually  burning 
in  them,  never  to  be  quenched  or  abated.  For  certainly,  as 
the  smiles  and  favour  of  the  eternal  God  constitute  the  joys  of 
heaven,  so  do  his  frowns  and  anger  make  up  the  flames  of  hell. 
To  see  him  that  made  us  displeased  with  us,  to  see  mercy  it- 
self to  frown  upon  us,  to  see  the  great  and  all-glorious  Creator 
of  the  world,  the  chiefest  good,  to  look  angrily  upon  us,  and 
to  mean  himself  offended  at  us,  and  incensed  against  us  !  Me- 
thinks  the  very  thoughts  of  it  are  sufficient  to  make  the  stout- 
est heart  amongst  us  tremble  :  but  then  what  shall  we  think  of 
those  poor  souls  that  see  and  feel  it  ?  what  shall  we  think  of 
them  ?  Questionless  they  are  more  miserable  than  we  are  able 
to  think  thern  to  be.  For  we  cannot  possibly  conceive  either 
the  greatness  of  heaven's  glory,  or  the  sharpness  of  hell's  tor- 
ments ;  only  this  we  know,  and  may  be  certain  of,  that  what- 
soever is  ungrateful  to  their  minds,  whatsoever  is  troublesome 


260  Thoughts  upon  striving  to 

to  their  thoughts,  whatsoever  is  contrary  to  their  desires, 
whatsoever  is  painful  to  their  bodies,  or  whatsoever  is  or  can 
be  destructive  and  tormenting  to  their  souls,  that  all  they  who 
are  once  in  hell,  shall  fear  and  feel,  and  tli;it  for  ever. 

But  this  is  too  sad  and  doleful  a  subject  to  insist  on  long, 
neither  should  I  have  mentioned  it,  but  lor  our  own  good,  and 
to  prepare  us  the  better,  both  for  the  understanding  and  im- 
proving the  advice  of  our  Saviour,  .Matt.  vii.  13,  11.  Enter 
ye  in  at  the  ttrait  gate,  ifc.  The  meaning  of  which  words, 
in  brief,  may  be  reduced  to  these  three  heads. 

First,  That  it  is  an  easy  mutter  to  go  to  bell,  that  place  of 
torments  we  have  now  been  describing,  and  by  consequence 
that  many  go  thither  ;  for  the  gate  is  \\  ide  and  the  way  is  broad 
that  Iead<  th  thereto. 

S.  COndly,  'I  liat  it  i-  an  hard  and  difficult  thing  to  <_r<'t  to  hea- 
ven, that  | >lace  ofjoys  we  before  spake  of,  and  by  consequence 

that  but  few  act  thither  ;  For  .strait  is  the  i^atc  and  narrow  is 
the  way  that  /<  <nl<  th  to  it. 

Lastly,  Howsoever  difficult  it  is,  our  Saviour  would  have  ua 
strive  to  g<  t  to  beaven,  so  as  to  press  through  that  Btrail 

and  walk  in  that  narrow  way  that   I.  adeth  into  life. 

As  for  the  first,  that  the  gate  is  wide,  and  the  way  broad, 
that  leads  to  hell,  or  that  it  is  an  <.  -\  matter  to  go  thither,  I 
need  not  use  many  words  to  pro',  n.  For  though  there  be 
but  few  that  mind  it  ;  I  dare  say  th.  re  i-  Bcarce  any  one  but 
believes  it.  yea  and  hath  often  tunes  (bund  it  to  he  true  by  ex- 
perience, even  that  it  is  ;.n  easy  matter  to  sin,  and  that,  we 
know,  is  the  broad  way  that  leads  to  he!]  ;  ~o  broad,  that  they 
that  walk  in  it  can  find  no  bounds  icn  limits  m  it.  wherewithin 
to  contain  themselves;  neither  are  they  ever  out  of  their  way, 
but  go  which  way  they  will,  they  an  .-till  in  the  ready  way  to 
ruin  and  destruction.  And  usually  it  is  as  plain  as  broad,  so 
that  men  rarely  meet  with  any  roughness  or  trouble  in  it,  but 
rather  with  all  the  pleasures  and  delights  which  they  desire, 
who  look  no  higher  than  to  please  the  flesh;  yea,  whatsoever 
it  is  that  they  naturally  desire,  they  still  meet  with  it  in  the  road 
to  hell;  and  whatsoever  is  ungrateful  and  irksome  to  then), 
they  are  never  troubled  with  it  in  the  ways  of  sin.  There  are 
no  crosses  to  be  taken  up,'  no  self  to  be  denied,  but  rather 
indulged  and  gratified  ;  there  are  no  such  tedious  and  trouble- 
some things  as  examining  our  hearts,  and  mortifying  our  lusts, 
as  praying  or  hearing,  as  fasting  or  watching  :  these  are  only 
to  be  found  in  the  narrow  path  that  leads  to  heaven,  the  broad 
way  to  hell  is  altogether  unacquainted  with  them,  being  strew- 
ed all  along   with  carnal  pleasures  and  sensual  delights,  with 


enter  at  the  strait  Gate.  261 

,  popular  applause,  and  earthly  riches,  and  such  fine  things  as 
silly  mortals  use  to  he  taken  with. 

And  hence  it  is,  that,  as  our  Saviour  tells  us,  many  there  bo 

I  which  find  this  way,  and  go  in  at  this  wide  gate  that  leads  to 

|  ruin,  because  they  see  not  whither  it  leads,  but  they  sec  the 

'  baits  and  allurements  which  are  in  it,  which  they  cannot  but 
crowd  about  as  fishes  about  a  hook,  or  as  flies  about  a  candle, 

{ till  they  be  destroyed.  Yea,  this  way  to  destruction  is  so 
broad,  that  almost  all  the  world  is  continually  walking  in  it ;  the 

i  gate  so  wide  that  thousands  at  a  time  pass  through  it.  And 
therefore  we  may  well  conclude,  it  is  an  easy  thing  to  go  to 
that  place  of  torments  which  even  now  we  spake  of,  or  rather 
that  it  is  an  hard,  a  difficult  matter  to  keep  out.  of  it  ;  the  way 
being  so  narrow  that  carries  from  it,  that  it  is  a  difficult  thing 
to  find  it ;  and  the  way  so  broad  that  leads  unto  it,  that  none 
can  miss  of  it  that  hath  but  a  mind  to  walk  in  it. 

But  I  hope  none  of  my  readers  have  so,  God  forbid  they 
should  have  a  mind  to  go  to  hell  ;  their  taking  religious  books 
into  their  hands  is  rather  an  argument  that  they  have  a  mind 
to  go  to  heaven,  and  read  on  purpose  to  learn  the  way  thither. 
And  we  do  well  to  take  all  opportunities  of  finding  out  the  way 
to  bliss  ;  for  we  may  assure  ourselves  it  is  a  very  narrow  one, 
it  is  hard  to  find  it  out,  but  much  more  hard  to  walk  in  it ;  for 
it  is  a  way  very  rarely  trodden,  so  that  there  is  scarce  any  path 
to  be  seen,  most  people  going  either  on  one  side,  or  else  on 
the  other  side  of  it ;  some  running  into  the  bye-paths  of  error, 
heresy,  or  schism  ;  others  into  the  broad  way  of  profaucness 
or  security:  insomuch  that  there  are  but  very  few  that  hit  upon 
the  right  path  that  leads  directly  to  the  New  Jerusalem,  tho 
place  of  rest.  I  speak  not  this  of  myself;  no,  Christ  himself, 
that  came  from  heaven  to  earth,  on  purpose  to  shew  us  the 
way  from  earth  to  heaven,  saith,  that  strait  is  the  gate  and  nar- 
row is  the  way  that  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that 

find  it. 

And  let  not  any  think  that  Christ  spoke  these  words  in  vain,  or 
that  it  is  no  great  matter  whether  we  believe  what  he  said  or 
no.  For  questionless,  one  great  reason  why  so  few  ever  come 
to  heaven  is,  because  most  think  it  so  easy  to  get  thither  that 
they  need  not  take  any  care  or  pains  about  it.  For  even 
amongst  ourselves,  to  whom  the  Gospel  is  so  clearly  revealed, 
men  generally  think  if  they  do  but  read  the  Scriptures,  and  hear 
sermons,  and  live  honestly  with  their  neighbours,  so  as  to  harm 
nobody,  but  pay  every  one  their  own,  then  they  shall  as  surely 
come  to  heaven,  as  if  they  were  there  already  ;  nay,  many  are 
so  simple  as  to  think  that  their  separation  from  the  church  mili- 


2t32  Thoughts  upon  striving  to 

tant  on  eartli  is  the  way  to  bring  them  to  the  church  triumphant 
in  heaven  ;  and  others  so  ridiculous  as  to  believe  that  a  death" 
bed  repentance  is  sufficient  to  entitle  them  to  eternal  life.  But 
stay  a  while:  it  is  not  so  easy  a  matter  to  get  to  heaven.  In- 
deed to  me  it  b*  <in-  one  of  the  greatest  mysteru  a  in  the  world, 
that  evt  r  any  man  or  woman  should  conn1  thither,  that  such 
sinful  worms  as  we  arc  who  arc  I. urn  in  sin,  and  live  SO  long 
in  sin  and  rebellion  against  the  great  Creator  of  the  world, 
should  ever  be  received  so  far  into  his  grace  and  favour,  as  to 

enjoy  life  and  eternal  happiness  in  him.  And  did  we  look  no 
farther  than  our-.  |v<  S,  we  might  justly  d<  -pair  bf<  VI  .'  obtain* 

ing  so  transcend*  nt  glory  which  n  e  are  bo  altogether  unworthy 
of.     But  the  goodness  of  God  both  is  and  hath  been  so  great 

to  mankind,  thai  there  is  none  of  us  but    in   and   through  the 

merits  of  Christ  Jesus,  is  in  a  capacity  of  it.     But  we  must 

not  think  that  it  is  so  <  thing  to  come  t..  heaven,  as  the 

devil,  the  world,  and  our  own  base  hearts,  would  persuade  us 

it  is:  if  we  do,  we  arc  never  likely  to  come  thither;  no,  we 
may  assure  ourselves,  as  heaven  is  the  greatest  good  that  we 
can  attain,  so  doth  it  require  our  greatest  care  and  study  ima- 
ginable to  attain  it. 

This  therefore  is  that  which  I  -hall  endeavour  to  convince 
men  of.  and  account  myself  happy  it'  I  can  do  it.  For,  1  dare 
say,  there  is  none  of  us  hut  desire  t"  see  <*hri.-t  in  glory,  and 
to  be  happy  with  him  and  in  him  for  ever;  hut  that  we  can 
never  be,  unless  we  do  whatsoever  is  required  of  us  m  order 
to  it;    and  if  we  think  it  so  easy  a  matter  to  do  whatsoever  is 

required  of  us.  1  h ave  just  cause  to  bub|  ect  that  we  never  yet 
made  trial  of  it,  nor  set  ours<  Ives  9<  riously  upon  the  perform- 
ance of  those  duties  which  are  <  njoined  us  here  in  reference  to 
our  being  happy  forever.  For  if  we  bav<  set  upon  it  in  good 
earnest,  we  cannot  but  have  found  it  very  bard  and  difficult, 
by  reason  of  our  natural  averseness  from  what  is  good,  and  in- 
clinations unto  evil.  For,  we  all  know,  that  without  holiness 
no  man  shall  sec  the  Lord,  Ileb.  xii.  11.  !So  that  holiness  is  the 
way,  the  direct  and  only  way  that  leads  to  heaven  ;  neither  is 
there  any  way  imaginable  of  being  happy  hereafter  hut  by  be- 
ing holy  here.  And  though  it  he  an  easy  thing  to  profess  holi- 
ness, and  to  perform  some  external  acts  of  it ;  yet  to  be  truly 
pious  and  holy  indeed,  so  as  we  must  be  if  ever  we  would  go 
to  heaven,  this  is  every  w  hit  as  difficult  as  the  other  is  easy. 

For  first,  I  suppose,  all  will  grant  that  he  is  not  truly  holy 
that  lives  in  any  known  sin,  as  the  Apostle  also  intimates,  saying, 
he  that  is  born  of  God  doth  not  commit  sin,  1  John  iii.  9.  And 
therefore  he  that  still  indul^eth  himself  in  the  commission  of 


enter  at  the  strait  hate.  263 

my  known  sin,  he  is  not  yet  regenerate  or  born  of  God,  he 
B  not  truly  holy.  So  that  to  our  being  so  holy  here,  as  that 
|we  may  be  happy  hereafter,  it  is  absolutely  and  indispensably 
necessary  that  we  forsake  and  avoid  to  the  utmost  of  our  pow- 
er whatsoever  is  offensive  unto  God,  and  contrary  to  his  laws. 
But  it  is  as  difficult  as  it  is  necessary  to  forsake  sin  as  we 
plight  to  do.  It  is  an  easy  matter,  I  confess,  to  rail  at  sin,  to 
backbite  others,  or  blame  ourselves  for  it.  But  that  is  not  the 
business  ;  but  to  loath  our  sins  as  much  as  ever  we  loved  them, 
to  abhor  as  much  as  ever  we  desired  them,  and  to  be  as  much 
averse  from  them  as  ever  we  were  inclined  to  them,  to  forsake 
sin  as  sin,  and  by  consequence  all  sin  whatsoever,  one  as  well 
as  another,  so  as  to  deny  ourselves  all  that  pleasure  we  wero 
wont  to  take  in  any  sin,  and  all  that  seeming  profit  which  we 
used  to  receive  by  it,  and  that  too  out  of  love  to  God  and  fear 
of  his  displeasure  :  this  is  to  forsake  sin  indeed,  but  it  is  sooner 
spoken  of  than  done  ;  and  it  requires  a  great  deal  of  time,  and 
skill,  and  pains  to  get  so  great  a  conquest  over  ourselves  as 
this  is,  to  cut  off  our  righl  hand,  pluck  out  our  right  eye,  and 
cast  it  from  us  ;  even  renounce  and  forsake  those  very  beloved 
and  darling  sins,  which  the  temper  and  constitution  of  our  bo- 
dies, the  corruption  of  our  hearts,  and  constant  custom  and 
practice  hath  made  in  a  manner  natural  to  us.  So  that  our 
\<rv  natures  must  be  changed,  !»•  fore  we  can  ever  leave  them. 
And  therefore  it  must  needs  he  a  matter  of  as  great  difficulty 
as  it  is  of  moment,  to  master  and  subdue  those  sins  and  lusts 
that  have  been  long  predominant  in  us,  which  I  dare  say  many 
of  us  have  found  by  their  own  sad  and  woeful  experience,  hav- 
ing struggled  perhaps  many  years  ;*,gainst  some  corruption, 
and  yet  to  this  day  have  not  got  it  under,  nor  totally  subdued 
it.  And  it  is  such,  and  such  alone,  who  are  competent  judges 
in  this  case ;  for  they  that  never  strove  against  their  sins,  can- 
not know  how  strong  they  are,  nor  how  hard  it  is  to  conquer 
them.  And  therefore  it  is  to  those  who  have  made  it  their 
business  to  destroy  and  mortify  their  lusts  that  I  appeal,  whe- 
ther it  be  not  hard  to  do  it.  I  am  confident  they  cannot  but 
have  found  it,  and  therefore  must  needs  acknowledge  it  to  be 
so  ;  and  by  consequence,  that  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  get  to  hea- 
ven, seeing  it  is  so  hard  to  keep  out  of  hell,  and  to  avoid  those 
eins  which  otherwise  will  certainly  bring  us  thither  ;  every  sin 
unrepented  of  having  eternal  punishment  entailed  upon  it. 

And  if  it  be  so  hard  to  forsake  sin,  how  difficult  must  it 
needs  be  to  perform  all  those  duties,  and  to  exert  all  those 
graces  which  are  necessarily  required,  in  order  to  our  attain- 
ing everlasting  happiness.     It  is  true,  praying  and  hearing, 


564  Thoughts  upon  striving  to 

which  are  the  ordinary  means  for  the  obtaining  true  grace  and « 
holiness,  are  duties  very  common  and  customary  amongst  us, 
but  they  are  never  the  easier  because  they  are  common,  but 
rather  far  more  difficult.     For  we  being  accustomed  to  a  care-  i 
less  and  perfunctory  performing  these  duties,  cannot  but  find  j 
it  an  hard  and  difficult  matter  to  keep  our  hearts  so  close  unto  ] 
them,  as  to  perform  them  as  we  ought  to  do,  and  so  as  that  we  1 
maybe  really  said  to  do  them.     For  we  must  not  think  that 
sitting  at  church  while  the  word  of  God  is  preached,  is  hearing 
the  word  of  God,  or  that  being  present  there  whilst  prayers  are 
read,  is  real  praying.     No,  no,  there  is  a  great  deal  more  re- 
quired than  this  to  our  praying  to  the  great  God  aright :  inso- 
much that  for  mine  own  part,  I  really  think  that  prayer,  as  it 
is  the  highest,  so  is  it  the  hardest  duty  that  we  can  be  engaged 
in.     All  the  faculties  of  our  souls,  as  well  as  members  of  our 
bodies,  being  obliged  to  put  forth  themselves  in  their  several 
capacities  to  the  due  performance  of  it. 

And  as  for  those  several  graces  and  virtues  which  our  souls 
must  be  adorned  withal,  before  ever  they  can  pome  to  heaven, 
though  it  be  easy  to  talk  of  them,  it  is  not  so  to  act  them.  I 
shall  instance  only  in  some  few  ;  as  to  love  God  above  all 
things,  and  other  things  only  for  God's  sake,  to  hope  on  no- 
thing but  God's  promises,  and  to  fear  nothing  but  his  displea- 
sure ;  to  love  other  men's  persons,  so  as  to  hate  their  vices, 
and  so  to  hate  their  vices  as  still  to  love  their  persons  ;  not  to 
covet  riches  when  we  have  them  not,  nor  trust  on  them  when 
%ve  have  them  ;  to  deny  ourselves  that  we  may  please  God,  and 
to  take  up  our  cross  that  we  may  follow  Christ  ;  to  live  above 
the  world  whilst  we  are  in  it,  and  to  despise  it  whilst  we  use  it ; 
to  be  always  upon  our  watch  and  guard,  strictly  observing  not 
only  the  outward  actions  of  our  life,  but  the  inward  motions  of 
our  hearts  ;  to  hate  those  very  sins  which  we  used  to  love,  and 
to  love  those  very  duties  which  we  used  to  hate  ;  to  choose  the 
greatest  affliction  before  the  least  sin,  and  to  neglect  the  get- 
ting of  the  greatest  gain,  rather  than  the  performing  of  the 
smallest  duty  ;  to  believe  truths  which  we  cannot  comprehend, 
merely  upon  the  testimony  of  one  whom  we  never  saw  ;  to 
submit  our  wills  to  God's,  and  delight  ourselves  in  obeying 
him  ;  to  be  patient  under  sufferings,  and  thankful  for  all  the 
troubles  we  meet  with  here  below  ;  to  be  ready  and  willing  to 
do  and  suffer  any  thing  we  can  for  him,  who  hath  done  and 
suffered  so  much  for  us  ;  to  clothe  the  naked,  feed  the  hungry, 
relieve  the  indigent,  and  rescue  the  oppressed  to  the  utmost  of 
our  power  ;  in  a  word,  to  be  every  way  as  pious  towards  God, 
as  obedient  to  Christ,  as  loyal  to  our  prince,  as  faithful  to  our 


enter  at  the  strait  Gate.  265 

riends,  as  loving  to  our  enemies,  as  charitable  to  the  poor,  as 
list  in  our  dealings,  as  eminent  in  all  true  grace  and  virtue,  as 
we  were  to  be  saved  by  it,  and  yet  by  no  confidence  in  it, 
3ut  still  look  upon  ourselves  as  unprofitable  servants,  and  de- 
jend  upon  Christ,  and  Christ  alone,  for  pardon  and  salvation. 
I  suppose  I  need  not  tell  any  one  that  it  is  hard  and  difficult 
o  perform  such  duties,  and  to  act  such  graces,  as  these  are ; 
jut  this  let  me  tell  the  reader,  that  how  hard,  how  difficult 
soever  it  is,  it  must  be  done  if  ever  we  design  to  come  to  hea- 
ven, and  by  consequence  it  is  no  easy  matter  to  come  thither. 
Seeing  thtrefore  the  way  that  leads  to  heaven  is  thus  narrow, 
and  hard,  it  is  no  wonder  that  there  are  but  few  that  walk  in  it, 
or  indeed  that  find  it  out,  as  our  Saviour  himself  assures  us  ; 
for  people  generally  love  to  swim  with  the  stream,  to  run  with 
the  multitude,  though  it  be  into  the  gulph  of  sin  and  misery, 
t  is  very  rare  to  find  one  walking  in  the  narrow  way,  and  keep- 
ing himself  within    those  bounds  and  limits  wherewith  it  is 
inclosed ;  and  this  seems  to  have  been  the  occasion  of  these 
words  in  the  Gospel  of  St.  Luke,  where  one  said  unto  Christ, 
\Lord,  are  there  few  that  be  saved?  and  our  Saviour  answered 
in  these  words,  Strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate.     For  many 
I  say  unto  you  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be  able, 
Luke  xiii.  23,  24.     Intimating  not  only  that  there  are  but  few 
that  shall  be  saved,  but  likewise  that  many  of  those  that  seek 
to  be  saved  shall  not  attain  it ;  not  as  if  any  of  those  who  really 
and  cordially  made  it  their  business  to  look  after  heaven,  can 
(ever  miss  of  it ;  but  that  many  of  those  who  presuming  upon 
i  their  seeming  obedience  and  good  works,  shall  think  and  seek 
that  way  to  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  shall  not  be  able. 
For  many  will  say  unto  me  at  that  day,  saith  he,  Lord,  Lord, 
have  we  not  prophesied  in  thy  name,  and  in  thy  name  cast  out  de- 
vils, and  in  thy  name  done  many  wonderful  works  ?    And  then 
I  will  profess  unto  them,  I  never  knew  you :  depart  from  me 
ye  that  work  iniquity,  Matt.  vii.  22,  23.  And  if  many  of  those 
who  are  great  professors  of  religion,  and  make  a  plausible  shew 
of  piety  in  the  world,  shall  notwithstanding  come  short  of  eter- 
nal happiness,  and  if  of  those  many  which  are  called  there  are 
but  few  chosen,  Matt.  xx.  16.  we  may  well  conclude  there  are 
but  few,  but  very  few  indeed,  that  walk  in  the  narrow  path  that 
leads  to  life,  in  comparison  of  those  innumerable  multitudes 
that  continually  flock  together  in  the  broad  way  that  leads  to 
ruin  and  destruction.     One  great  reason  whereof  is,  because 
men  generally,  though  they  desire  to  go  to  heaven,  yet  will  not 
believe  it  to  be  so  hard  a  thing  as  really  it  is  to  get  thither  ;  and 
therefore  setting  aside  the  superficial  performance  of  some  few 

Z 


266  Thoughts  upon  striving  to 

external  duties,  they  give  themselves  no  trouble,  nor  take  any 
pains  about  it ;  as  if  heaven  was  so  contemptible  a  thing,  that 
it  is  not  worth  their  while  to  look  after  it ;  or  howsoever,  as  if 
it  was  so  easy  a  thing  to  attain  it,  that  they  cannot  miss  of  it  I 
whether  they  look  after  it  or  no.    Whereas  questionless,  as  hea-  m 
ven  is  the  greatest  happiness  that  we  are  capable  of,  so  is  it  the  j 
hardest  matter  in  the  world  for  any  of  us  to  attain  it. 

I  say  not  this  to  discourage  any  one,  but  rather  to  excite  and 
encourage  all  to  a  greater  care  and  diligence  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  eternal  happiness,  than  ordinarily  men  seem  to  have. 
It  is  my  hearty  desire  and  prayer  that  every  soul  among  us  may 
live  and  be  happy  for  ever  ;  but  that  we  can  never^be,  unless 
we  be  serious,  earnest,  and  constant  in  looking  after  it,  more 
than  after  all  things  in  the  world  besides.  And  therefore  it  is 
that  I  have  endeavoured  to  convince  men  that  it  is  not  so  easy 
a  thing  as  they  seem  to  make  it  to  go  to  heaven,  the  path  being 
so  exceeding  narrow  that  leads  unto  it :  which  I  hope  by  this 
time  we  are  all  persuaded  of,  so  as  to  be  resolved  within  our- 
selves to  play  no  longer  with  religion,  but  to  set  upon  it  in  good 
earnest,  so  as  to  make  it  not  only  our  great  but  our  only  busi- 
ness and  design  in  this  world,  to  prepare  for  another,  and  to 
work  out  our  salvation  with  fear  and  trembling,  and  by  conse- 
quence to  walk  in  that  narrow  way  of  true  piety  and  virtue  that  j 
leads  to  heaven,  without  going  aside  into  the  vices  on  either 
hand,  or  howsoever  to  use  the  utmost  of  our,  endeavours  to  ob-  I 
serve  the  rules  which  Christ  hath  prescribed  us,  in  order  to  * 
our  living  with  him  for  ever.  And  oh  that  I  knew  what  words 
to  take  unto  myself,  and  what  arguments  to  use,  whereby  to 
prevail  with  every  soul  of  us,  to  make  it  our  business  to  get  to  I 
heaven  ;  and  by  consequence  to  walk  directly  in  the  narrow 
way,  and  through  the  strait  gate  that  leads  unto  it.  What  in- 
fluence or  effect  they  may  have  upon  the  readers,  I  know  not ; 
howsoever  I  shall  endeavour  to  present  them  with  some  such 
considerations,  as  I  hope  by  the  blessing  of  God,  and  the  as- 
sistance of  his  grace,  may  be  so  forcible  and  prevalent  upon 
them,  if  seriously  weighed,  that  they  should  not  methinks  be 
able  to  resist  them. 

Let  us  consider  therefore  in  the  first  place,  that  though  it  be 
never  so  hard  to  get  to  heaven,  yet  it  is  possible  ;  and  though 
there  be  but  few  that  come  thither,  yet  there  are  some  ;  and 
why  may  not  you  and  I  be  in  the  number  of  those  few  as  well 
as  others  ?  There  are  many  perfect  and  most  glorious  saints  in 
heaven  at  this  moment,  which  once  were  sinful  creatures  upon 
earth  as  we  now  are  ;  but  it  seems  the  way  thither  was  not  so 
narrow  but  they  could  walk  in  it,  nor  the  gate  so  strait  but  they 


enter  at  the  strait  Gate.  267 

could  pass  through  it ;  and  why  may  not  we  as  well  as  they  ? 
We  have  the  same  natures  whereby  we  are  capable  of  happi- 
ness as  they  had ;  we  have  the  same  Scriptures  to  direct  us  to 
it  as  they  had  ;  we  have  the  same  promises  of  assistance  as 
they  had  ;  we  have  the  same  Saviour  as  they  had ;  and  why 
then  may  not  we  get  to  the  same  place  where  they  are  ?  Is  the 
way  more  narrow  and  the  gate  more  strait  to  us  than  it  was 
to  them  ?  No,  surely,  it  is  every  way  the  same  ;  why  then  should 
we  despair  of  ever  attaining  everlasting  glory,  seeing  we  are 
as  capable  of  it  as  any  one  who  hath  yet  attained  it.  It  is  true, 
if  no  mortal  men  had  ever  got  to  heaven,  or  God  had  said  none 
should  ever  come  thither,  then  indeed  it  would  be  in  vain  for 
us  to  expect  it,  or  to  use  any  means  to  attain  unto  it  :  but  see- 
ing many  of  our  brethren  are  already  there,  and  many  more 
will  follow  after  them,  and  we  are  as  capable  of  coming  to 
them  as  any  other,  the  straitness  of  the  gate,  the  narrowness 
of  the  way,  or  the  difficulty  of  getting  thither,  should  never 
discourage  us  from  endeavouring  after  it,  no  more  than  it  did 
them,  but  rather  make  us  the  more  diligent  in  the  prosecution 
of  it  :  especially  considering  in  the  next  place,  that  we  are  not 
only  as  yet  in  a  capacity  of  getting  to  heaven,  but  we  are  all 
invited  thither,  and  that  by  God  himself;  for  he  would  have 
all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth, 
1  Tim.  ii.  4.  Yea,  he  hath  sworn  by  himself,  saying,  As  I 
live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wick- 
ed, but  rather  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live :  and 
therefore  calls  upon  us  all,  Turn  ye,  turn  ye  from  your  evil 
ways ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of  Israel?  Ezek.  xxxiii. 
11.  Hence  it  is  that  he  sent  his  prophets  to  invite  us,  Ho, 
every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  ivaters,  Isa.  lv.  1.  Yea, 
he  came  down  in  his  own  person  to  earth,  on  purpose  to  in- 
vite us  to  heaven,  and  to  direct  us  the  way  thither  :  Come  to 
me,  saith  he,  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden,  and  I  will 
give  you  rest,  Matt.  xi.  28.  For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that 
that  he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  ivhosoever  believeth  in 
him  should  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life,  John  iii.  16. 
Whence  we  may  observe,  that  there  are  no  exceptions  made 
against  any  person  whatsoever,  nor  by  consequence  against 
any  of  us.  It  is  the  will,  yea,  and  command  of  God  too,  that 
we  all  turn  from  our  evil  ways  and  live,  and  that  every  soul 
amongst  us  walk  in  that  narrow  way  that  leads  unto  eternal 
bliss  ;  and  therefore  if  any  of  us  do  perish,  Our  blood  will  be 
upon  our  own  heads,  our  destruction  is  from  ourselves.  Hos. 
xiii.  9.  For  it  is  nothing  but  the  perverseness  of  our  own 
wills,  and  the  hardness,  pride,  and  obstinacy  of  our  own  hearts, 


263  Thoughts  upon  striving  to 

that  can  keep  any  soul  of  us  out  of  heaven,  howsoever  difficult 
it  is  to  come  thither.  For  God  hath  shewn  how  desirous  he 
is  to  have  our  company  there,  in  that  he  is  still  pleased  to  grant 
us  both  the  space  and  means  of  repentance.  If  he  had  no 
mind  to  have  us  saved,  he  could  have  shut  us  up  long  ago  in 
hell ;  but  he  is  so  far  from  that,  that  he  doth  not  only  as  yet 
continue  our  abode  on  earth,  and  lengthen  our  tranquillity 
here,  but  he  still  vouchsafes  unto  us  whatsoever  is  necessary, 
yea,  whatsoever  can  any  ways  conduce  to  our  eternal  happi- 
ness :  we  have  his  Scriptures,  we  have  his  sabbaths,  we  have 
his  ordinances,  we  have  his  sacraments,  we  have  his  ministers, 
we  have  the  promise  of  his  Spirit,  we  have  the  overtures  of 
Christ,  and  of  all  the  merits  of  his  death  and  passion,  made 
unto  us,  and  what  can  be  desired  more  to  make  men  happy  ? 
And  yet,  as  if  all  this  had  not  been  enough,  he  still  continues 
calling  upon  us,  exhorting,  commanding,  yea  and  beseeching 
us  most  affectionately  to  turn,  that  our  souls  may  live  ;  for  we 
his  ministers  are  ambassadors  to  mankind  for  Christ,  as  though 
God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  We  pray  you  in  Christ's  stead  to 
be  reconciled  to  God,  2  Cor.  v.  20.  And  he  hath  sent  me  unto 
you  that  read  this  in  a  particular  manner  at  this  time,  to  call 
you  back  out  of  the  broad  way  that  leads  to  death,  into  the 
narrow  way  that  leads  to  life  and  happiness  ;  In  his  name  there- 
fore I  exhort,  yea,  and  beseech  you,  by  the  mercies  of  God,  that 
you  present  your  bodies  a  living  sacrifice,  holy,  acceptable  unto 
God,  which  is  your  reasonable  service,  Rom.  xii.  1.  Strive  to 
enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  and  never  leave  until  you  have  got 
possession  of  eternal  glory. 

Nor  let  us  be  discouraged  at  any  difficulties  that  we  meet 
with  in  the  way,  for  they  will  soon  be  over ;  howsoever  hard 
and  difficult  any  duty  may  seem  at  first,  by  use  and  custom  it 
will  soon  grow  easy.  The  worst  is  at  first  setting  out  ;  when 
once  we  have  been  used  a  while  to  walk  in  this  narrow  way, 
we  shall  find  it  to  be  both  easy  and  pleasant :  for,  as  the  wise 
man  tells  us,  the  ways  of  wisdom  or  true  piety  are  ways  of 
pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths  are  peace,  Prov.  iii.  17.  Though 
it  be  rough  at  first,  by  treading  it  will  soon  grow  plain  ;  we 
shall  soon  find  the  words  of  Christ  to  be  true,  that  his  yoke  is 
easy,  and  his  burden  light,  Matt.  xi.  19.  All  is,  to  be  willing 
and  obedient,  and  resolved  upon  it,  to  press  through  all  duties 
and  difficulties  whatsoever  to  get  to  heaven,  and  then  by  the 
merits  of  Christ's  passion,  and  the  assistance  of  his  grace,  we 
need  not  fear  but  we  shall  come  thither. 

And  verily,  although  the  way  to  heaven  should  prove  not 
only  narrow,  but  hedged  in  with  briars  and  thorns,  so  that  we 


enter  at  the  strait  Gate.  269 

should  meet  with  nothing  but  crosses  and  troubles  in  our  going 
to  it,  yet  heaven  will  make  amends  for  all.  For  we  may  well 
reckon  with  the  apostle,  that  the  sufferings  of  this  life  are  not 
worthy  to  be  compared  with  the  glory  that  shall  be  revealed  in 
us,  Rom.  viii.  18.  So  that  whatsoever  pains  we  are  at,  what- 
soever trouble  we  suffer,  in  order  to  our  attaining  everlasting 
happiness,  bears  no  proportion  at  all  to  the  happiness  we  at- 
tain by  it ;  which  is  so  great,  so  exceeding  great,  that  our 
tongues  can  neither  express,  nor  our  minds  as  yet  conceive  it, 
consisting  not  only  in  the  freedom  from  all  evil,  but  also  in  the 
enjoyment  of  whatsoever  is  really  and  truly  good  ;  even  what- 
soever can  any  way  conduce  to  the  making  us  perfectly  and 
completely  happy  :  so  that  no  duty  can  be  too  great  to  under- 
take, no  trouble  too  heavy  to  undergo  for  it.  WJierefore,  that 
I  may  use  the  words  of  the  apostle  to  my  readers,  my  beloved 
brethren,  be  ye  steadfast,  immoveable,  always  abounding  in  the 
work  of  the  Lord,  forasmuch  as  you  know  that  your  labour 
shall  not  be  in  vain  in  the  Lord,  1  Cor.  xv.  53. 

By  this  time  I  hope  we  are  all  resolved  within  ourselves  to 
follow  our  Saviour's  counsel  and  advice,  even  to  strive  to  en- 
ter in  at  the  strait  gate,  and  to  walk  in  that  narrow  way  that 
leads  to  life.  If  we  be  not,  we  have  just  cause  to  suspect 
ourselves  to  be  in  the  gall  of  bitterness  and  in  the  bond  of 
iniquity ;  but  if  we  be  resolved  in  good  earnest,  we  cannot 
but  be  very  solicitous  to  know  what  we  must  do  in  order  to  it ; 
or  how  every  one  of  us  may  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  so  as 
to  be  happy  for  ever.  A  question  of  the  highest  importance 
imaginable  :  so  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  for  every  soul 
amongst  us  to  be  thoroughly  resolved  in  it ;  for  it  concerns  our 
life,  our  immortal  and  eternal  life,  and  therefore  I  shall  en- 
deavour to  resolve  it  in  as  few  and  perspicuous  terms  as  pos- 
sibly I  can,  that  the  meanest  capacity  may  understand  it. 
But  I  must  take  leave  to  say  beforehand,  that  our  knowing  of 
it  will  signify  nothing,  unless  we  practise  it,  neither  will  you 
be  ever  the  nearer  heaven,  because  you  know  the  way  to  it, 
unless  you  also  walk  in  it. 

And  therefore  the  first  thing  that  I  shall  propound,  in  order 
to  our  eternal  salvation,  is,  that  we  should  resolve  immediately 
in  the  presence  of  Almighty  God,  that  we  will  for  the  future 
make  it  our  great  care,  study,  and  business  in  this  world,  to 
seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and  the  righteousness  thereof  in  the 
first  place,  according  to  our  Saviour's  advice  and  command, 
Matt.  vi.  33.  that  we  would  not  halt  any  longer  between  two 
opinions,  and  think  to  seek  heaven  and  earth  together,  things 
diametrically  opposite  to  one  another.     If  we  really  think 

Z  2 


270  Thoughts  upon  striving  to 

earth  to  be  better  than  heaven,  what  need  we  trouble  ourselves 
any  farther,  than  to  heap  up  the  riches,  and  to  enjoy  the  plea- 
sures of  this  world  :  but  if  we  really  think  heaven  to  be  better 
than  earth,  as  all  wise  men  must  needs  do,  then  let  us  mind 
that,  and  concern  not  ourselves  about  this.  We  know  what  our 
Saviour  told  us  long  ago,  No  man  can  serve  two  masters ;  for 
either  he  will  hate  the  one  and  love  the  other*  or  else  he  will  hold 
with  the  one  and  despise  the  other :  you  cannot  serve  God  and 
mammon,  Matt.  vi.  24.  that  is,  in  plain  English,  we  cannot 
mind  heaven  and  earth  both  together  ;  for  we  can  have  but 
one  grand  and  principal  design  in  the  world  ;  and  therefore  if 
our  principal  design  be  to  get  wealth  or  any  earthly  enjoy- 
ment, we  deceive  ourselves,  if  we  think  that  we  mind  heaven 
at  all.  For  that  we  can  never  properly  be  said  to  do,  until 
we  mind  it  before  all  things  whatsoever  in  the  world  besides  ; 
and  let  us  not  say,  or  think  within  ourselves,  that  this  is  an 
hard  saying,  for  we  may  assure  ourselves  it  is  no  more  than 
what  we  shall  all  find  to  be  really  true,  and  that  never  a  soul  of 
us  shall  ever  know  what  heaven  is,  that  doth  not  first  prefer 
it  before  all  things  here  below,  and  by  consequence  make  it  his 
principal  if  not  only  design  to  get  thither. 

Supposing  us  therefore  to  be  thus  resolved  within  ourselves, 
my  next  advice  is,  that  we  break  off  our  former  sins  by  re- 
pentance and  showing  mercy  to  the  poor,  and  that  for  the  fu- 
ture we  live  not  in  the  wilful  commission  of  any  known  sin, 
nor  yet  in  the  wilful  neglect  of  any  known  duty.  Where  it  is 
evident  I  advise  to  no  more  than  what  all  men  know  themselves 
to  be  obliged  to  do  ;  for  I  dare  say,  there  is  none  of  us  knows, 
so  little,  but  what  if  he  would  but  live  up  to  what  he  knows, 
he  could  not  but  be  both  holy  and  happy.  Let  us  but  avoid 
what  we  ourselves  know  to  be  sin,  and  do  what  we  know  to 
be  our  duty  ;  and  though  our  knowledge  may  not  be  so  great  as 
others,  yet  our  piety  may  be  greater,  and  our  condition  better. 
But  we  must  still  remember,  that  one  sin  will  keep  us  out  of 
heaven  as  well  as  twenty ;  and  therefore  if  we  ever  desire  to 
come  thither,  we  must  not  only  do  some  or  many  things,  but 
all  things  whatsoever  is  required  of  us,  to  the  best  of  our 
knowledge.  I  speak  not  this  of  myself,  but  Christ  himself 
hath  told  us  the  same  before,  even  that  we  must  keep  the  com- 
mandments, all  the  commandments,  if  we  desire  to  enter  into 
eternal  life,  Matt.  xix.  \6,  17.  Not  as  if  it  was  indispensably 
necessary  to  observe  every  punctilio  and  circumstance  of  the 
moral  law,  for  then  no  man  could  be  saved  ;  but  that  it  must 
be  both  our  steadfast  resolution,  and  our  chief  study  and  en- 
deavour, to  avoid  whatsoever  we  know  to  be  forbidden,  and 
to  perform  whatsoever  we  know  to  be  commanded  by  God. 


enter  at  the  strait  Gate.  271 

And  though  by  this  we  shall  make  a  fair  progress  in  the  nar- 
row way  to  life,  yet  there  is  still  another  step  behind,  before 
we  can  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate,  and  that  is,  to  believe  in 
Jesus  Christ,  as  our  Saviour  himself  hath  taught  us,  Matt.  xix. 
21.  The  sum  of  which  duty  in  brief  is  this,  that  when  we 
have  done  all  we  can  in  obedience  to  the  moral  law,  yet  we 
must  still  look  upon  ourselves  as  unprofitable  servants,  and  not 
expect  to  be  justified  or  saved  by  virtue  of  that  obedience,  but 
only  by  the  merits  of  Christ's  death  and  passion ;  humbly  con- 
fiding, that  in  and  through  him,  the  defects  of  our  obedience 
shall  be  remitted,  our  persons  accepted,  our  natures  cleansed, 
and  our  souls  eternally  saved.  This  is  not  only  the  prin- 
cipal but  the  only  thing  which  Paul  and  Silas  directed  the 
keeper  of  the  prison  to,  in  order  to  his  salvation,  as  compre- 
hending all  the  rest  under  it,  or  at  least  supposing  them,  Acts 
xvi.  31. 

Thus  therefore,  though  obedience  be  the  way,  faith  is  the 
gate  through  which  we  must  enter  into  life.  But  seeing  the 
gate  is  strait  as  well  as  the  way  narrow,  and  it  is  as  hard  to 
believe  in  Christ  as  to  observe  the  law,  we  must  not  think  to 
do  either  by  our  own  strength,  but  still  implore  the  aid  and  as- 
sistance of  Almighty  God,  and  depend  upon  him  for  it.  For 
Christ  himself  saith,  Ne  man  can  come  to  me  except  the  Father 
tvhich  hath  sent  me  draw  him,  John  vL  44.  But  we  can  never 
expect  that  he  should  draw  us,  unless  we  desire  it  of  him. 
And  therefore  it  must  be  our  daily  prayer  and  petition  at  the 
throne  of  grace,  that  God  would  vouchsafe  us  his  especial 
grace  and  assistance,  without  which  I  cannot  see  how  any  one 
that  knows  his  own  heart,  can  expect  to  be  saved.  But  our 
comfort  is,  if  we  do  what  we  can,  God  will  hear  our  prayers, 
and  enable  us  to  do  what  otherwise  we  cannot ;  for  he  never 
yet  did,  nor  ever  will  fail  any  man  that  sincerely  endeavours 
to  serve  and  honour  him. 

Lastly,  Although  we  are  to  trust  in  God  for  the  answer  of 
our  prayers  in  this  particular,  yet  we  must  not  expect  that  he 
should  do  it  immediately  from  himself,  but  we  must  use  those 
means  which  himself  hath  appointed  whereby  to  work  faith, 
and  by  consequence  all  other  graces  in  us.  Now  the  Scrip- 
tures tell  us,  that  faith  comes  by  hearing,  Rom.  x.  17.  Where- 
fore if  we  desire  to  believe,  so  as  to  be  saved,  we  must  wait 
upon  God  in  his  public  ordinances,  and  there  expect  such  in- 
fluences of  his  grace  and  Spirit,  whereby  we  may  be  enabled 
to  walk  in  the  narrow  way,  and  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate  that 
leads  to  life. 

Thus  I  have  shewn  you  in  few  terms,  how  to  do  the  great 


272  Thoughts  upon  striving  to  enter,  <fyc. 

work  which  you  came  into  the  world  about,  even  how  to  get 
to  heaven.  For  howsoever  hard  it  is  to  come  thither,  let  us 
but  resolve,  as  we  have  seen,  to  mind  it  before  all  things  else, 
fear  God  and  keep  his  commands  to  the  utmost  of  our  power, 
believe  in  Christ  for  the  pardon  of  our  sins,  and  the  accept- 
ance both  of  our  persons  and  performances  ;  pray  sincerely 
unto  God,  and  wait  diligently  upon  him  for  the  assistance  of 
his  grace  to  do  what  he  requires  from  us.  Let  us  do  this,  and 
we  need  not  fear  but  our  souls  shall  live.  If  we  leave  this  un- 
done, we  ourselves  shall  be  undone  for  ever.  And  therefore 
let  me  advise  all  to  dally  no  longer  in  a  matter  of  such  conse- 
quence as  this  is,  but  now  we  know  the  way  to  heaven,  to  turn 
immediately  into  it,  and  walk  constantly  in  it.  Though  the 
way  be  narrow,  it  is  not  long,  and  though  the  gate  be  strait,  it 
opens  into  eternal  life.  And  therefore  to  conclude,  let  us  re- 
member we  have  now  been  told  how  to  get  to  heaven,  it  is  not 
in  my  power  to  force  men  thither  whether  they  will  or  no  ;  I 
can  only  shew  them  the  way.  It  is  their  interest  as  well  as 
duty  to  walk  in  it,  which  if  they  do,  I  dare  assure  them,  in  the 
name  of  Christ,  it  is  not  long  but  they  will  be  admitted  into  the 
choir  of  heaven,  to  sing  hallelujahs  for  evermore. 


THOUGHTS 


THE  IMITATION  OF  CHRIST. 


IF  we  seriously  consider  with  ourselves  that  wonder  of  all 
J  wonders,  that  mystery  of  all  mysteries,  the  incarnation  of  the 
Son  of  God,  it  may  justly  strike  us  into  astonishment,  and  an 
admiration  what  should  be  the  reason  and  the  end  of  it  ;  why 
the  great  and  glorious,  the  almighty  and  eternal  God,  should 
take  our  weak  and  finite  nature  into  his  infinite  and  incompre- 
hensible person  ;  why  the  Creator  of  all  things  should  himself 
become  a  creature  ;  and  he  that  made  the  world  be  himself 
made  into  it ;  why  the  supreme  Being  of  all  beings,  that  gives 
essence  and  existence  to  all  things  in  the  world,  whose  glory 
the  heaven  of  heavens  is  not  able  to  contain,  should  clothe  him- 
self with  flesh  and  become  man,  of  the  self-same  nature  and 
substance  with  us,  who  live  and  move  and  have  our  being  in 
him  !  Certainly  it  was  not  upon  any  frivolous  or  ordinary  ac- 
count, that  the  most  high  God  manifested  himself  to  the  sons 
of  men  in  so  wonderful  and  extraordinary  a  manner  as  this 
was.  But  he  did  it  questionless  upon  some  design  that  was  as 
great  and  glorious  as  the  act  itself.  And  if  we  would  know 
what  his  end  and  design  in  coming  into  the  world  was,  the 
Scripture  assures  us  in  general,  that  it  was  for  the  salvation  of 
mankind,  whose  nature  he  assumed  :  For  this  is  a  faithful  say- 
ing, and  worthy  of  all  acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into 
the  world  to  save  sinners,  1  Tim.  i.  15.  And  he  himself  tells 
us,  that  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  sent  his  only-begotten 
Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not  perish,  but  have 
everlasting  life,  John  iii.  16.  Now  for  the  accomplishment  of 
this  no  less  glorious  than  gracious  design,  there  are  two  things 
which  it  was  necessary  he  should  do  for  us,  whilst  he  was  upon 
earth,  even  expiate  our  former  sins,  and  direct  unto  holiness 


274  Thoughts  upon  the 

for  the  future  ;  both  which  he  hath  effected  for  us  ;  the  one 
by  his  death,  and  the  other  by  his  life. 

For  by  his  death  he  hath  paid  that  debt  which  we  owed  to 
God,  having  made  complete  satisfaction  to  God's  justice  for 
those  sins,  whereby  we  have  incurred  his  displeasure  :  for 
death  was  threatened  to  all  mankind  in  case  of  disobedience, 
and  by  consequence  all  mankind  being  disobedient,  are  obnox- 
ious to  it.  Neither  would  it  stand  with  the  justice  of  God  to 
falsify  his  word,  nor  yet  with  his  glory,  to  put  up  the  injuries 
that  we  have  committed  against  him,  without  having  satisfac- 
tion made  unto  him  for  them.  But  it  being  impossible  that  a 
finite  creature  should  satisfy  for  those  sins  which  were  com- 
mitted against  the  infinite  God  :  hence  the  infinite  God  was 
pleased  to  undertake  it  for  us,  even  to  satisfy  himself  for  those 
sins  which  were  committed  against  him  ;  which  he  did,  by  un- 
dergoing that  death  which  he  had  threatened  to  us  in  our  own  na- 
ture, united  to  the  person  of  his  own  and  only  Son,  God  co-equal, 
co-essential,  co-eternal  with  himself,  who  is  therefore  said  to 
be  a  propitiation  for  our  sins,  1  John  ii.  2.  Neither  can  there 
any  reason  imaginable  be  alleged,  why  the  Son  of  God  him- 
self should  suffer  death,  unless  it  was  upon  our  account,  and 
in  our  stead,  whose  nature  he  assumed,  and  in  which  he  suf- 
fered it.  But  not  to  insist  upon  that  now.  The  human  na- 
ture in  general  having  thu3  suffered  that  death  in  the  person 
of  the  Son  of  God,  which  all  mankind  was  otherwise  bound 
to  have  undergone  in  their  own  persons  ;  hence  it  comes  to 
pass,  that  we  are  all  in  a  capacity  of  avoiding  that  death  which 
we  have  deserved  by  our  sins,  if  we  do  but  rightly  believe  in 
Christ,  and  apply  his  sufferings  to  ourselves. 

And  as  Christ  by  his  death  and  passion  hath  thus  satisfied 
for  our  sins,  so  hath  he  by  his  life  and  actions  given  us  an  exact 
pattern  of  true  piety  and  virtue.  And  although  I  cannot  say  it 
was  the  only,  yet  questionless  one  great  end  wherefore  he  con- 
tinued so  long  upon  earth,  and  conversed  so  much  amongst 
men,  and  that  so  many  of  his  actions  are  delivered  to  us  with 
so  many  circumstances  as  they  are,  was,  that  we  by  his  exam- 
ple might  learn  how  to  carry  and  behave  ourselves  in  this  lower 
world.  For  as  from  that  time  to  this,  so  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world  to  that  time,  there  had  never  been  a  man  upon  the 
face  of  the  earth  that  had  lived  so  conformably  to  the  law  of 
God,  that  it  was  safe  or  lawful  for  another  to  follow  him  in  all 
things.  For  all  flesh  was  corrupt,  and  the  very  best  of  men 
were  still  but  men,  subject  to  failures  in  their  lives  as  well  as 
to  errors  in  their  judgments  ;  yea  those  very  persons  whom  the 
Scriptures  record,  and  God  himself  attesteth  to  have  been  emi- 


imitation  of  Christ.  9.1b 

nent  in  their  generations  for  piety  and  justice,  did  oftentimes 
fail  in  both.  Noah  is  asserted  by  God  himself  to  have  been 
righteous  in  his  generation,  Abraham  to  be  the  father  of  the 
faithful,  Moses  to  be  the  meekest  man  upon  earth,  David  to  be 
a  man  after  God's  own  heart,  Solomon  to  have  been  the  wisest 
man  that  ever  lived,  and  Job  to  be  a  perfect  and  upright  man, 
one  that  feared  God  and  eschewed  evil ;  yet  none  of  these 
most  excellent  persons  but  had  their  vices  as  well  as  virtues  : 
and  it  is  observable,  that  the  more  eminent  any  were  in  piety, 
the  more  notorious  sins  God  hath  sometimes  suffered  them  to 
slip  into,  to  keep  them  humble.  So  that  from  the  first  to  the 
second  Adam,  there  never  lived  a  man  of  whom  it  could  be 
said,  This  man  never  sinned,  never  transgressed  the  laws  of 
God,  and  therefore  may  in  all  things  be  imitated  by  men. 

But  now  as  the  first  was  made,  the  second  Adam  continued 
all  along  most  pure  and  perfect,  both  in  thought,  word,  and 
action  ;  for  he^iid  no  sin,  neither  was  guile  found  in  his  mouth, 
1  Pet.  ii.  22.  Never  so  much  as  a  vain  thought  ever  sprang 
up  in  his  most  holy  heart,  not  so  much  as  an  idle  word  ever 
proceeded  out  of  his  divine  lips,  nor  so  much  as  an  imperti- 
nent or  frivolous  action  was  ever  performed  by  his  sacred  and 
most  righteous  hands  ;  his  whole  life  being  nothing  else  but 
one  continued  act  of  piety  towards  God,  justice  towards  men, 
love  and  charity  towards  all.  And  as  himself  lived,  so  would 
he  have  all  his  disciples  live  whilst  they  are  here  below  ;  and 
therefore  enjoins  them  that  go  after  him,  not  only  to  deny  them- 
selves, and  take  up  their  crosses,  but  also  to  follow  or  imitate 
him  unto  the  utmost  of  their  power  in  their  life  and  actions. 
So  that  he  now  expects  that  all  those  who  profess  themselves 
to  be  his  disciples,  do  first  deny  themselves  whatsoever  is  offen- 
sive unto  him  ;  and  then  thatthey  take  up  their  cross,  so  as  to 
be  ready  and  willing  to  do  orimffer  any  thing  for  him,  that  hath 
done  and  suffered  so  much  as  ne  hath  for  us.  And  then,  lastly, 
that  they  write  after  the  copy  that  he  hath  set  them,  and  walk 
in  the  steps  wherein  he  is  gone  before  them  ;  even  that  they  fol- 
low him  through  all  duties  and  difficulties  whatsoever,  so  as  still 
to  do  unto  the  utmost  of  their  power  as  he  did,  otherwise  they  in 
vain  pretend  to  be  his  disciples.  For  he  that  saith  he  abideth 
in  him,  ought  himself  also  to  walk  even  as  he  walked,  1  John  ii. 
6.  that  is,  he  that  professeth  to  believe  in  Jesus  Christ,  should 
live  as  he  lived  while  he  was  upon  earth.  Hence  St.  Paul,  a 
true  disciple  of  Christ,  saith,  Be  ye  followers  of  me,  even  as 
I  also  am  of  Christ,  1  Cor.  xi.  1.  Ashe  followed  Christ,  he 
would  have  others  to  follow  him  ;  but  he  would  have  them  fol- 
low him  no  farther  than  as  he  followed  Christ. 


276  Thoughts  upon  the 

It  is  true,  we  were  bound  to  be  holy  and  righteous  in  all  our 
ways,  whether  we  had  ever  heard  of  Christ's  being  so  or  no, 
the  law  of  God  first  obliging  us  to  be  so  ;  but  howsoever,  we 
have  now  an  additional  obligation  upon  us  to  be  holy,  as  he 
who  hath  called  us  was  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation^ 
1  Pet.  i.  15.  For  the  Scripture  tells  us  expressly,  that  Christ 
hath  left  us  an  example  that  we  should  follow  his  steps,  1  Pet.  ii. 
21.  And  our  Saviour  himself  commands  all  that  come  to  him 
to  learn  of  him,  Matt.  xi.  29,  30.  And  therefore  we  can  never 
expect  that  he  should  own  us  for  his  disciples,  unless  we  own 
him  for  our  Lord  and  Master,  so  far  as  to  obey  and  follow  him  ; 
he  having  commanded  all  those  that  come  to  him,  to  deny  them- 
selves, take  up  their  crosses,  and  follow  him.  And  seeing  we 
all,  I  hope,  desire  to  be  Christians  indeed,  as  I  have  explained 
the  two  former  of  these  duties,  I  shall  now  endeavour  to  give 
the  true  meaning  of  the  latter  too,  that  we  may  all  so  follow 
Christ  here,  as  to  come  to  him  hereafter. 

Now  for  the  opening  of  this,  we  must  know  that  we  neither 
can  nor  ought  to  follow  Christ  in  every  thing  he  did  when  he 
was  here  below  ;  for  even  whilst  he  was  here  below,  he  was 
still  the  most  high  and  mighty  God,  the  same  that  he  had  been 
from  eternity,  and  often  manifested  his  power  and  glory  to  the 
sons  of  men,  whilst  he  was  conversing  with  them  in  their  own 
natures,  wherein  it  would  be  horrid  presumption  for  us  to  pre- 
tend to  follow  him.  As  for  example,  he  knew  the  very  thoughts 
of  men,  Matt.  xii.  25.  which,  I  suppose,  is  somewhat  past  our 
skill  to  do.  Hence  also  he  judged  and  censured  others  ;  Woe 
unto  you,  saith  he,  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  hypocrites,  for  ye 
are  like  unto  painted  sepulchres,  which  indeed  appear  beautiful 
outwardly,  but  are  within  full  of  dead  mens  bones,  and  of  all 
uncleanness,  Matt,  xxiii.  27,  2jL  But  this  we  could  not  do 
though  we  might,  not  being  abje  to  search  into  others'  hearts, 
neither  may  we  do  it  though  we  could,  Christ  himself  having 
expressly  commanded  us  the  contrary,  saying,  Judge  not,  that 
ye  be  not  judged,  Matt.  vii.  1 .  Our  Saviour  also,  as  God,  fore- 
told future  events,  Luke  xxi.  6.  and  wrought  miracles,  such  as 
were  clear  demonstrations  of  his  infinite  power  and  Godhead  ; 
but  in  this  he  is  to  believed  and  admired,  not  followed  or  imi- 
tated by  us.  Thus  also  when  he  sent  his  disciples  to  loose 
another  man's  colt,  and  bring  him  away,  Luke  xix.  30.  that  he 
did  as  Lord  and  Sovereign  of  the  world,  or  as  the  supreme 
Possessor  and  universal  Proprietor  of  all  things  ;  as  when  he 
commanded  the  Israelites  to  spoil  the  Egyptians,  and  carry 
away  their  jewels  and  raiment,  for  all  things  being  his,  he  may 
give  them  to  whom  he  pleaseth ;  and  though  it  would  have 


imitation  of  Christ.  277 

been  a  sin  to  have  taken  them  away  without  his  command,  yet 
his  command  gave  them  a  propriety  in  them,  a  right  and  title 
to  them,  and  they  had  sinned  unless  they  had  obeyed  the  com- 
mand. So  here,  our  Saviour  sent  for  the  colt,  as  if  it  had  been 
his  own,  for  so  really  it  was,  as  he  is  God,  which  he  manifested 
himself  to  be  at  the  same  time,  in  that  he  inclined  the  hearts 
of  the  civil  owners  thereof  to  let  him  go,  only  upon  the  disci- 
ples saying,  that  the  Lord  hath  need  of  him,  Luke  xix.  33,  34. 
But  this  he  did  not  for  our  example,  but  to  shew  forth  his  own 
power  and  glory. 

There  are  some  things  also  which  our  blessed  Saviour  did 
as  God-man,  or  as  the  Mediator  betwixt  God  and  man  ;  as  his 
making  atonement  and  satisfaction  for  the  sins  of  mankind, 
his  instituting  offices  and  ordinances,  and  sacraments  in  his 
church,  and  the  like  ;  which  having  an  immediate  respect  to 
his  office  of  Mediator,  and  being  done  upon  that  account,  we 
neither  may  nor  can  imitate  him  in  such  things.  But  the 
things  which  he  would  have  us  to  follow  him  in  are  such  and 
such  only  as  he  did  as  mere  man,  that  he  had  no  immediate 
dependence  upon  or  reference  to  either  his  Godhead  or  Medi- 
atorship.  For  he  having  honoured  our  nature  so  far,  as  to  take 
it  into  his  own  divine  person,  so  to  become  really  and  truly 
man  ;  as  so,  he  did  whatsoever  man  is  bound  to  do,  both  as 
to  God  himself,  and  likewise  as  to  men.  And  being  absolute- 
ly perfect  in  all  the  faculties  of  his  soul,  and  members  of  his 
body,  he  infinitely  surpassed  all  other  men  both  in  divine 
graces,  and  moral  virtues,  so  that  as  he  never  committed  any- 
one sin,  so  neither  did  he  ever  neglect  any  one  duty,  which 
as  man  he  was  bound  to  perform  either  to  God  or  men,  but 
still  observed  every  punctilio  and  circumstance  of  the  moral 
law  ;  by  which  means  he  hath  left  us  a  complete  pattern  of 
true  and  universal  holiness,  and  hath  enjoined  us  all  to  follow 
it. 

Hoping  therefore  that  all  who  profess  themselves  to  be  the 
friends  and  disciples  of  Jesus  Christ,  desire  to  manifest  them- 
selves to  be  so,  by  following  both  his  precepts  and  example,  I 
shall  give  the  reader  a  short  narrative  of  his  life  and  actions, 
wherein  we  may  all  see  what  true  piety  is,  and  what  real  Chris- 
tianity requires  of  us  ;  and  may  not  content  ourselves,  as  many 
do,  with  being  professors,  and  adhering  to  parties  or  factions 
amongst  us,  but  strive  to  be  thorough  Christians,  and  to  carry 
ourselves  as  such,  by  walking  as  Christ  himself  walked ;  which 
that  we  may  at  least  know  how  to  do,  looking  upon  Christ  as 
mere  man,  I  shall  show  how  he  did,  and  by  consequence  how 
we  ought  to  carry  ourselves  both  to  God  and  man,  and  what 

Aa 


270  Thoughts  upon  the 

graces  antl  virtues  lie  exercised  all  along  for  our  example  and 
imitation. 

Now  for  our  more  clear  and  methodical  proceeding,  in  a 
matter  of  such  consequence  as  this  is,  I  shall  begin  with  his 
behaviour  towards  men,  from  his  childhood  to  his  death. 

First  therefore,  when  be  was  a  child  of  twelve  years  of  age, 
i!  is  particularly  recorded  of  him.  that  be  was  subject  or  obe- 
dient to  his  parents.  Ins  real  mother  and  reputed  father,  Luke 
ii.  51,  It  is  true,  he  knew  at  that  time  that  God  himself  WES 
his  Father;  for,  said  he,  wist  ye  not  that  1  must  be  about  my 
Father's  business?  ver.  19.  And  knowing  God  to  be  his  Fa- 
ther, he  could  not  but  know  likewise  that  lie  was  infinitely 
above  his  mother;  yea.  that  >)n'  could  never  have  borne  him, 
had  not  lie  firel  made  and  supported  her.  Yet  howsoever, 
though  as  God  he  was  Father  to  her,  yet  as  man  she  was  mo- 
ther to  him  ;    and  therefore  he   honoured  and  obeyed  both  her 

ami  him  to  whom  >he  w&s  espoused.  Neither  did  he  only 
respect  his  mother  whilst  he  Was  here,  but  he  took  care  of  her 
loo  when  he  Was  going  In  nee.  Yea.  all  ihe  p;iins  that  he  Suf- 
fered on  the  en  s  could  not  make  him  forget  his  duty  to  her 
that  bore  him  ;  but  sceinir  her  standing  by  the  cross,  as  him- 
self hung  on  it,  he  committed  her  to  the  care  of  his  beloved 
disciple,  who  took  her  to  his  aim  home,  John  xix.  27.  Now  as 
our  Saviour  did,  so  are  we  bound  to  carry  ourselves  to  our 
earthly  parents,  whatsoever  their  temper  or  condition  be  in 
this  world.  Though  God  hath  blessed  some  of  us  perhaps 
with  l  a  than  ever  he  blessed  them,  yet  we  must 

not  think  ourselves  above  them,  nor  be  at  all  the  less  respect- 
ful to  them.  Christ,  we  sic  was  infinitely  above  his  mother, 
yet  as  she  was  his  mother,  he  was  both  subject  and  respectful 
io  her.  lie  was  not  ashamed  to  own  her  as  she  stood  by  the 
.  but  m  the  view  and  hearing  of  all  there  present,  gave 
his  disciple  a  charge  to  take  care  of  her;  leaving  us  an  exam- 
ple, that  such  amongst  us  as  have  parents,  provide  for  them  if 
they  need  it.  as  well  as  for  our  children,  both  while  we  live, 
and  when  we  come  to  die. 

And  as  he  was  to  his  natural,  so  was  he  to  his  civil  parents, 
the  magistrates  under  which  he  lived,  submissive  and  faithful; 
for  though  as  lie  v.  as  God  he  was  infinitely  above  them  in  heaven, 
yet  as  he  was  man  he  was  below  them  on  earth,  having  com- 
mitted all  civil  power  into  their  hands,  without  reserving  any 
at  all  for  himself.  So  that  though  they  received  their  commis- 
sion from  him,  yet  now  himself  could  not  act  without  receiving 
a  commission  from  them.  And  therefore  having  no  commis- 
sion from  them  to  do  it,  he  would  not  entrench  so  much  upon 


imitation  of  Christ,  279 

their  privilege  and  power,  as  to  determine  the  controversy  be- 
twixt the  two  brethren  contending  about  their  inheritance  ; 
Man,  saith  he,  who  made  me  a  judge  or  a  divider  orer  you/ 
Luke  xii.  1 4.  And  to  shew  his  submission  to  the  civil  magistrate 
as  highly  as  possibly  he  could,  rather  than  offend  them,  he 
wrought  a  miracle  to  pay  the  tax  which  they  had  charged  upon 
him,  Matt.  xvii.  27.  And  when  the  officers  were  sent  to  take 
him,  though  he  had  more  than  twelve  legions  of  angels  at  his 
service  to  have  fought  for  him  if  he  had  pleased,  yet  he  would 
not  employ  them,  nor  suffer  his  own  disciples  to  make  any  re- 
sistance, Matt.  xxvi.  52,  53.  And  though  some  of  late  days, 
who  called  themselves  Christians,  have  acted  quite  contrary 
to  our  blessed  Saviour  in  this  particular,  I  hope  better  things 
of  my  readers,  even  that  they  will  behave  themselves  more 
like  to  Christ,  who  though  he  was  the  supreme  Governor  of 
the  world,  yet  would  not  resist,  but  submitted  to  the  civil 
power,  which  himself  had  entrusted  men  withal. 

Moreover,  although  whilst  lie  was  here,  he  was  really  not 
only  the  best  but  greatest  man  upon  earth,  yet  he  carried  him- 
self to  others  with  that  meekness,  humility,  and  respect,  as  if 
lie  had  been  the  least  ;  as  lie  never  admired  anv  man  for  his 
riches,  so  neither  did  lie  despise  any  man  i<>r  Ins  poverty  :  the 
poor  man  and  rich  were  all  alike  to  him.  lie  was  as  lowly 
and  respectful  to  the  lowest  as  he  was  to  the  highest  that  he 
conversed  with.  lie  all'eeted  no  titles  of  honour,  nor  gaped 
after  popular  air,  but  submitted  himself  to  the  meanest 
vices  that  he  could  for  the  good  of  others,  even  to  the  washing 
of  his  own  disciples'  feet,  and  all  to  teach  us  that  we  can  never 
think  too  lowly  of  ourselves,  nor  do  any  thing  that  is  beneath 
us  ;  propounding  himself  as  our  example,  especially  in  this 
particular,  Learn  of  me,  saith  he,  for  I  am  meek  and  lowly  in 
heart,  Matt.  xi.  29. 

His  humility  also  was  the  more  remarkable,  in  that  his  bounty 
and  goodness  to  others  was  so  great,  for  he  went  about  doing 
good,  Acts  x.  38.  Wheresoever  you  read  he  was,  you  stiil 
read  of  some  good  work  or  other  which  he  did  there.  What- 
soever company  he  conversed  with,  they  still  went  better  from 
him  than  they  came  unto  him,  if  they  came  out  of  a  good  end. 
By  him,  as  himself  said,  the  blind  received  their  sight,  and  the 
lame  walked,  the  lepers  were  cleansed,  and  the  deaf  heard,  the 
dead  were  raised  up,  and  the  poor  had  the  Gospel  preached 
unto  them,  Matt.  xi.  5.  Yea,  it  is  observable,  that  we  never 
read  of  any  person  whatsoever  that  came  unto  him,  desiring 
any  real  kindness  or  favour  of  him,  but  he  still  received  it, 
and  that  whether  he  was  friend  or  foe.     For  indeed,  though 


280  Thoughts  upon  the 

he  had  many  inveterate  and  implacable  enemies  in  the  world, 
yet  he  bare  no  malice  against  them,  but  expressed  as  much 
love  and  favour  to  them  as  to  his  greatest  friends.  Insomuch 
that  when  they  had  gotten  him  upon  the  cross,  and  fastened  his 
hands  and  feet  unto  it,  in  the  midst  of  all  the  pain  and  tor- 
ment which  they  put  him  to,  he  still  prayed  for  them,  Luke 
xxiii.  34. 

Oh  !  how  happy,  how  blessed  a  people  should  we  be,  could 
we  but  follow  our  blessed  Saviour  in  this  particular!  How 
well  would  it  be  with  us,  could  we  but  be  thus  good  and  lov- 
ing to  one  another,  as  Christ  was  to  all,  even  his  most  bitter 
enemies  !  We  may  assure  ourselves  it  is  not  only  our  misery, 
but  our  sin  too,  unless  we  be  so.  And  our  sin  will  be  the 
greater,  now  we  know  our  Master's  pleasure,  unless  we  do  it. 
And  therefore  let  all  such  amongst  us,  as  desire  to  carry  our- 
selves as  Christ  himself  did,  and  as  becometh  his  disciples  in 
the  world,  begin  here. 

Ee  submissive  and  obedient  to  our  parents  and  governors, 
humble  in  our  own  sight,  despise  none,  but  be  charitable,  lov- 
ing, and  good  to  all.  By  this  shall  all  men  know  that  we  are 
Christ's  disciples  indeed. 

Having  thus  seen  our  Saviour's  carriage  towards  men,  we 
shall  now  consider  his  piety  and  devotion  towards  God,  not  as 
if  it  was  possible  for  me  to  express  the  excellency  and  perfec- 
tion of  those  religious  acts  which  he  performed  continually 
within  his  soul  to  God,  every  one  of  his  faculties  being  as  en- 
tire in  itself,  and  as  perfect  in  its  acts,  as  it  was  first  made  or 
designed  to  be.  There  was  no  darkness,  nor  so  much  as 
gloominess  in  his  mind,  no  error  or  mistake  in  his  judgment, 
no  bribery  or  corruption  in  his  conscience,  no  obstinacy  or 
perverseness  in  his  will,  no  irregularity  nor  disorder  in  his  af- 
fections, no  spot,  no  blot,  no  blemish,  not  the  least  imperfec- 
tion or  infirmity  in  his  whole  soul.  And  therefore,  even  whilst 
Jiis  body  was  on  earth,  his  head  and  heart  were  still  in  heaven. 
For  he  never  troubled  his  head,  nor  so  much  as  concerned  him- 
self about  any  thing  here  below,  any  farther  than  to  do  all  the 
good  he  could,  his  thoughts  being  wholly  taken  up  with  con- 
sidering how  to  advance  God's  glory  and  man's  eternal  hap- 
piness. And  as  for  his  heart,  that  was  the  altar  on  which  the 
sacred  fire  of  divine  love  was  always  burning,  the  flames 
whereof  continually  ascended  up  to  heaven,  being  accompa- 
nied with  the  most  ardent  and  fervent  desires  of,  and  delight 
in,  the  chiefest  good. 

But  it  must  not  be  expected  that  I  should  give  an  exact  de- 
scription of  that  eminent  and  most  perfect  holiness  which  our 


imitation  of  Christ.  281 

blessed  Saviour  was  inwardly  adorned  with,  and  continually 
employed  in  ;  which  I  am  as  unable  to  express,  as  desirous  to 
imitate.  But  howsoever,  I  shall  endeavour  to  mind  the  reader 
in  general  of  such  acts  of  piety  and  devotion,  which  are  par- 
ticularly recorded,  on  purpose  for  our  imitation. 

First  therefore,  it  is  observed  of  our  Saviour,  that  from  a 
child  he  increased  in  wisdom,  as  he  did  in  stature,  Luke  ii.  52. 
Where  by  wisdom  we  are  to  understand  the  knowledge  of 
God,  and  of  divine  things.  For  our  Saviour  having  taken  our 
nature  into  his  person,  with  all  its  frailties  and  infirmities,  as 
it  is  a  created  being,  he  did  not  in  that  nature  presently  know 
all  things  which  were  to  be  known.  It  is  true,  as  God,  he  then 
knew  all  things  as  well  as  be  had  from  all  eternity.  But  we 
are  now  speaking  of  him,  as  a  man,  like  one  of  us  in  all  things, 
except  sin.  But  we  continue  some  considerable  time  after  we 
are  born  before  we  know  any  thing,  or  come  to  the  use  of  our 
reasons  ;  the  rational  soul  not  being  able  to  exert  or  manifest 
itself,  until  the  natural  phlegm  or  radical  moisture  of  the  body, 
which  in  infants  is  predominant,  be  so  digested,  that  the  body  be 
rightly  qualified,  and  its  organs  lilted  for  the  soul  to  work  upon 
and  to  make  use  of.  And  though  our  Saviour  questionless 
came  to  the  use  of  his  reason,  as  man,  far  sooner  than  we  are 
wont  to  do,  yet  we  must  not  think  that  he  knew  all  things  as 
soon  a^lie  was  born  ;  for  that  the  nature  he  assumed  was  not 
capable  of ;  neither  could  he  then  be  said,  as  he  is,  to  increase 
in  wisdom,  for  where  there  is  perfection  there  can  be  no  in- 
crease. 

But  here,  before  we  proceed  farther,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
answer  an  objection  which  some  may  make  against  this.  For 
if  our  Saviour,  as  man,  knew  not  all  things,  then  he  was  not 
perfect,  nor  absolutely  free  from  sin,  ignorance  itself  being  a  sin. 

To  this  I  have  these  things  to  answer  ;  first,  it  is  no  sin  for 
a  creature  to  be  ignorant  of  some  things,  because  it.  is  impos- 
sible for  a  creature  to  know  all  things  ;  for  to  be  omniscient  is 
God's  prerogative,  neither  is  a  creature  capable  o(  if,  because 
he  is  but  finite  ;  whereas  the  knowledge  of  all  things,  or  om- 
niscience, is  itself  an  infinite  act,  and  therefore  to  be  perform- 
ed only  by  an  infinite  Being.  Hence  it  is  that  no  creature  in 
the  world  ever  was  or  ever  could  be  made  omniscient  ;  but 
there  are  many  things  which  Adam  in  his  integrity,  and  the 
very  angels  themselves,  are  ignorant  of;  as  our  Saviour, 
speaking  of  the  day  of  judgment,  saith,  Of  that  day  and  hour 
knoweth  no  man,  no,  not  the  angels  which  are  in  heaven,  neither 
the  Son,  but  the  Father,  Mark  xiii.  32.  But  the  angels  are 
never  the  less  perfect  because  they  know  not  this.  Nay,  it  is 
A  a  2 


282  Thoughts  upon  the 

observable,  that  the  Son  himself,  as  man,  knew  it  not,  neither, 
saith  he,  the  Son,  but  the  Father ;  and  if  he  knew  it  not  then, 
much  less  was  it  necessary  for  him  to  know  it  when  a  child. 

Secondly,  As  to  be  ignorant  of  some  things  is  no  sin,  so 
neither  is  any  ignorance  at  all  sin,  but  that  whereby  a  man  is 
ignorant  of  what  he  is  bound  to  know,  for  all  sin  is  the  trans- 
gression of  a  law.  And  therefore,  if  there  be  no  law  obliging 
me  to  know  such  or  such  things,  I  do  not  sin  by  being  igno- 
rant of  them,  for  I  transgress  no  law.  Now  though  all  men 
are  bound  by  the  law  of  God  to  know  him,  and  their  duty  to 
him,  yet  infants,  so  long  as  infants,  are  not,  neither  can  be  ob- 
noxious or  subject  to  that  law,  they  being  in  a  natural  incapa- 
city, yea  impossibility  to  perform  it,  but  as  they  become  by  de- 
grees capable  of  knowing  any  thing,  they  are  obliged  ques- 
tionless to  know  him  first,  from  whom  they  receive  their 
knowledge. 

And  thus  it  was  that  our  blessed  Saviour  perfectly  fulfilled 
the  law  of  God,  in  that  although  he  might  still  continue  igno- 
rant of  many  things  ;  yet  howsoever  he  all  along  knew  all  that 
he  was  bound  to  know,  and  as  he  grew  by  degrees  more  and 
more  capable  of  knowing  any  thing,  so  did  he  increase  still 
more  in  true  wisdom,  or  in  the  knowledge  of  God  ;  so  that  by 
that  time  he  was  twelve  years  old,  he  was  able  to  dispute  with 
the  great  doctors  and  learned  rabbies  amongst  the  Jews  ;  and 
after  that  as  he  grew  in  stature,  so  did  he  grow  in  wisdom  too, 
and  in  favour  both  with  God  and  man. 

And  verily,  although  we  did  not  follow  our  blessed  Saviour 
in  this  particular  when  we  were  children,  we  ought  howsoever 
to  endeavour  it  now  we  are  men  and  women,  even  to  grow  in 
wisdom,  and  every  day  add  something  to  our  spiritual  stature, 
so  as  to  let  never  a  day  pass  over  our  heads,  without  being  bet- 
ter acquainted  with  God's  goodness  to  us,  or  our  duty  to  him. 
And  by  this  example  of  our  Saviour's  growing  in  wisdom  when 
a  child,  we  should  also  learn  to  bring  up  our  children  in  the 
nurture  and  admonition  of  the  Lord,  and  not  strive  so  much  to 
make  them  rich  as  to  use  all  means  to  make  them  wise  and 
good,  that  they  may  do  as  their  Saviour  did,  even  grow  in 
wisdom  and  in  stature,  and  in  the  favour  both  of  God  and  man. 

And  as  our  Saviour  grew  in  wisdom  when  a  child,  so  did  he 
use  and  manifest  it  when  he  came  to  be  a  man,  by  devoting 
himself  wholly  unto  the  service  of  the  living  God,  and  to  the 
exercise  of  all  true  grace  and  virtue,  wherein  his  blessed  soul 
was  so  much  taken  up,  that  he  had  neither  time  nor  heart  to 
mind  those  toys  and  trifles  which  silly  mortals  upon  earth  are 
so  much  apt  to  dote  on.     It  is  true  all  the  world  was  his,  but 


imitation  of  Christ.  %Q3 

he  had  given  it  all  away  to  others,  not  reserving  for  himself  so 
much  as  an  house  to  put  his  head  in,  Matt.  viii.  20.  And  what 
money  he  had  hoarded  up,  you  may  gather  from  his  working  a 
miracle  to  pay  his  tribute,  or  poll  money,  which  came  not  to 
much  above  a  shilling.  Indeed  he  came  into  the  world  and 
went  out  again,  without  ever  taking  any  notice  of  any  plea- 
sures, honours,  or  riches  in  it,  as  if  there  had  been  no  such 
thing  here,  as  really  there  was  not,  nor  ever  will  be  ;  all  the 
pomp  and  glory  of  this  deceitful  world  having  no  other  being 
or  existence,  but  only  in  our  distempered  fancies  and  imagi- 
nations ;  and  therefore  our  Saviour,  whose  fancy  was  sound, 
and  his  imagination  untainted,  looked  upon  all  the  world  and 
the  glory  of  it  as  not  worthy  to  be  looked  upon,  seeing  no- 
thing in  it  wherefore  it  should  be  desired.  And  therefore  in- 
stead of  spending  his  time  in  the  childish  pursuit  of  clouds  and 
shadows,  he  made  the  service  of  God  not  only  his  business,  but 
his  recreation  too,  his  food  as  well  as  work.  It  is  my  meat, 
saith  he,  to  do  the  will  of  him  that  sent  me,  and  to  finish  his 
work,  John  iv.  34.  This  was  all  the  riches,  honours  and  plea- 
sures, which  he  sought  for  in  the  world,  even  to  do  the  will  of 
him  that  sent  him  hither,  and  to  finish  the  work  which  he  came 
about  ;  and  so  he  did  before  he  went  away  ;  Father,  I  have 
glorified  thee  on  the  earth,  I  have  finished  the  work  which  thou 
sentest  me  to  do,  John  xvii.  4.  Tf  therefore  we  would  be  Christ's 
disciples,  so  as  to  follow  him,  we  see  what  we  must  do,  and 
how  we  must  behave  and  cany  ourselves  whilst  we  are  here 
below  ;  we  must  not  spend  our  time,  nor  throw  away  our  pre- 
cious and  short-lived  days  upon  the  trifles  and  impertinencies 
of  this  transient  world,  as  if  we  came  hither  for  nothing  else 
but  to  rake  and  scrape  up  a  little  dust  and  dirt  together,  or  to 
wallow  ourselves  like  swine  in  the  mire  of  carnal  pleasures  and 
delights.  No,  we  may  assure  ourselves  we  have  greater  things 
to  do,  and  far  more  noble  designs  to  carry  on,  whilst  we  con- 
tinue in  this  vale  of  tears,  even  to  work  out  our  salvation  with 
fear  and  trembling,  and  to  make  our  calling  and  election  sure, 
and  to  serve  God  here,  so  as  to  enjoy  him  for  ever.  This  is 
the  work  we  came  about,  and  which  we  must  not  only  do,  but 
do  it  too  with  pleasure  and  delight,  and  never  leave  until  we 
have  accomplished  it  ;  we  must  make  it  our  only  pleasure  to 
please  God,  account  it  our  only  honour  to  honour  him,  and 
esteem  his  love  and  favour  to  be  the  only  wealth  and  riches  that 
we  can  enjoy  ;  we  must  think  ourselves  no  farther  happy,  than 
we  find  ourselves  to  be  truly  holy,  and  therefore  devote  our 
lives  wholly  to  him,  in  whom  we  live.  This  is  to  live  as  Christ 
lived,  and  by  consequence  as  Christians  ought  to  do. 


284  Thoughts  upon  the 

I  might  here  instance  in  several  other  acts  of  piety  and  de- 
votion, which  our  Saviour  was  not  only  eminent  for,  but 
continually  exercised  himself  in,  as  his  humble  and  perfect 
submission  and  resignation  of  his  own  will  to  God's,  his  most 
ardent  love  unto  him,  and  zeal  for  him,  as  also  his  firm  and 
steadfast  trust  and  confidence  on  him  ;  so  that  nothing  could 
ever  disquiet  or  discompose  his  mind  ;  but  still  his  heart  was 
fixed,  trusting  in  the  Lord.  In  all  which,  it  is  both  our  duty 
and  interest  to  follow  him,  our  happiness  as  well  as  holiness 
consisting  in  our  dependence  upon  God,  and  inclinations  to 
him. 

But  we  should  do  well  to  observe  withal,  that  our  Saviour 
performed  external  as  well  as  inward  worship  and  devotion 
unto  God ;  particularly  we  often  find  him  praising  God,  and 
praying  unto  him,  and  that  with  his  eyes  lift  up  to  heaven  in 
a  most  humble  and  reverential  posture,  John  xvii.  1 .  Luke 
xxii.  41.  Matt.  xxvi.  39.  yea,  when  he  was  to  choose  and  or- 
dain some  of  his  disciples  to  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  to 
succeed  him  after  his  departure,  under  the  name  of  apostles, 
he  spent  the  night  before  in  prayer  to  God,  Luke  vi.  12.  I 
confess  the  words  there  used,  ev  tjj  wgoTev%vi  roZ  GeoZ,  will 
scarce  admit  of  that  interpretation  or  exposition,  signifying 
rather  in  a  strict  sense,  that  he  went  into  a  place  appointed 
for  prayer,  which  was  usually  called  a  place  of  prayer,  which 
kind  of  places  were  very  frequent  in  Judaea,  and  some  of  them 
continued  till  Epiphanius's  time,  as  himself  asserts  ;  and  they 
were  only  plots  of  ground  inclosed  with  a  wall,  and  open  above, 
and  were  ordinarily,  if  not  always,  upon  mountains,  whither 
the  Jews  used  to  resort  to  pray  together  in  great  multitudes. 
And  this  seems  to  be  the  proper  meaning  of  these  words, 
where  our  Saviour  is  said  to  go  into  a  mountain,  and  to  con- 
tinue all  night,  h  Ty  -zs-go-evxy  roZ  QsoZ,  in  one  of  those  proseu- 
cha's  of  God,  a  place  dedicated  to  his  service.  Yet  howsoever, 
we  cannot  suppose  but  that  he  went  thither,  to  do  what  the 
place  whither  he  went  was  designed  for,  even  to  pray.  And 
by  consequence,  that  seeing  he  stayed  there  all  night,  ques- 
tionless he  spent  the  whole  night  in  prayer  and  meditation,  in 
order  to  so  great  a  work  as  the  ordaining  his  apostles  was. 

Here  therefore  was  another  copy  which  our  Master  Christ 
hath  set  us  to  write  after,  a  lesson  that  all  must  learn  and  prac- 
tise that  would  be  his  disciples.  Though  we  ordinarily  con- 
verse with  nothing  but  dirt  and  clay,  and  with  our  fellow  worms 
on  earth,  yet  as  Christ  did,  so  should  we  often  retire  from  the 
tumults  and  bustles  of  the  world,  to  converse  with  him  that 
made  us  ;  both  to  praise  him  for  the  mercies  we  have  received, 


imitation  of  Christ.  285 

and  to  pray  unto  him  for  what  we  want ;  only  we  shall  do  well 
jto  have  a  care  that  we  do  not  perform  so  solemn  a  duty  as  this 
is,  after  a  careless  and  perfunctory  manner,  because  none  sees 
us  but  God  ;  for  his  seeing  us  is  infinitely  more  than  if  all  the 
world  besides  should  see  us,  and  we  must  still  remember,  that 
prayer  is  the  greatest  work  that  a  creature  can  be  engaged  in, 
and  therefore  to  be  performed  with  the  greatest  seriousness, 
reverence,  and  earnestness  that  possibly  we  can  raise  up  our 
spirits  to.  And  besides  our  daily  devotions  which  we  owe, 
land  ought  to  pay  to  God  whensoever  we  set  upon  any  great 
and  weighty  business,  we  must  be  sure  to  follow  our  Saviour's 
steps,  in  setting  some  time  apart,  proportionably  to  the  busi- 
ness we  undertake,  wherein  to  ask  God's  counsel,  and  desire 
his  direction  and  blessing  in  the  most  serious  and  solemn  man- 
ner that  possibly  we  can.  I  need  not  tell  the  reader  what  bene- 
fit we  shall  receive  by  this  means  ;  none  of  us  that  shall  try  it 
but  will  soon  find  it  by  experience. 

I  shall  observe  only  one  thing  more  concerning  our  Sa- 
viour's devotion,  and  that  is,  that  although  he  took  all  occa- 
sions to  instruct  or  admonish  his  disciples  or  followers,  whether 
in  the  fields  or  upon  the  mountains,  or  in  private  houses,  even 
wheresoever  he  could  find  an  opportunity  to  do  it ;  yet  upon 
the  sabbath-days  he  always  frequented  the  public  worship  of 
God  ;  he  went  into  the  synagogues,  places  appointed  for  pub- 
lic prayers,  and  reading  and  hearing  of  the  word,  a  thing 
which  I  fear  many  amongst  us  do  not  think  of,  or  at  least  not 
rightly  consider  it ;  for  if  they  did,  they  would  not  dare,  me- 
thinks,  to  walk  so  directly  contrary  to  our  blessed  Saviour  in 
this  particular ;  for  St.  Luke  tells  us,  that  when  he  came  to 
Nazareth,  where  he  had  been  brought  up,  as  his  custom  teas, 
he  went  into  the  synagogue  on  the  sabbath-day,  Luke  iv.  16. 
From  whence  none  of  us  but  may  easily  observe,  that  our 
Saviour  did  not  go  into  a  synagogue,  or  church,  by  the  by,  to 
see  what  they  were  doing  there ;  neither  did  he  happen  to  go 
in  by  chance  upon  the  sabbath-day,  but  it  was  his  custom  and 
constant  practice  to  do  so,  even  to  go  each  sabbath-day  to  the 
public  ordinance,  there  to  join  with  the  congregation  in  per- 
forming their  public  service  and  devotions  to  Almighty  God. 

And  here  I  must  take  leave  to  say,  that  was  there  no  other 
law,  nor  any  other  obligations  amongst  us  (as  there  be  many) 
to  frequent  the  public  worship  of  God,  this  practice  and  ex- 
ample of  our  blessed  Saviour  doth  sufficiently  and  effectually 
oblige  us  all  to  a  constant  attendance  upon  the  public  ordi- 
nance. For  as  we  are  Christians,  and  profess  ourselves  to  be 
his  disciples,  we  are  all  bound  to  follow  him ;  he  commands 


286  Thoughts  upon  the 


us  here  and  elsewhere  to  it;  and  certainly  there  is  nothing  that 
we  can  be  obliged  to  follow  him  in,  more  than  in  the  manner 
of  his  worshipping  God.  And  therefore,  whosoever  out  of 
any  humour,  fancy,  or  slothfulness,  shall  presume  to  neglect, 
the  public  worship  of  God,  he  doth  not  only  act  contrary  unto 
Christ's  example,  but  transgresses  also  his  command,  that  en-i 
joins  him  to  follow  that  example.  What  they  who  are  guilty 
of  this  will  have  to  answer  for  themselves,  when  they  come 
to  stand  before  Christ's  tribunal,  I  know  not.  But  this  [  know, 
that  all  those  who  profess  themselves  to  be  Christians,  should 
follow  Christ  in  all  things  that  they  can,  and  by  consequence 
in  this  particular,  and  that  they  sin  who  do  not. 

But  in  whatsoever  other  things  we  may  fail,  I  know  the 
generality  of  us  do  herein  follow  our  Saviour's  steps,  that  we 
are  usually  present  at  the  public  worship  of  God ;  but  then  I 
hope  this  is  not  all  that  we  follow  him  in,  but  that  as  we  follow 
him  to  the  public  ordinances,  so  we  do  likewise  in  our  private 
devotions,  yea,  and  in  our  behaviour  both  to  God  and  man. 
Which  that  we  may  the  better  do,  I  have  endeavoured  to  show 
wherein  especially  we  ought  to  follow  Christ,  in  being  obedient 
to  our  parents,  subject  to  our  governors,  lowly  to  the  lowest, 
loving  and  charitable  unto  all ;  as  also,  in  growing  in  wisdom 
and  the  knowledge  of  God,  in  contemning  the  world,  in  de- 
voting ourselves  wholly  to  the  service  of  God,  in  resigning 
our  wills  to  his,  in  loving  of  him,  in  trusting  on  him  above  all 
things  else,  in  daily  praying  unto  God,  and  frequenting  his 
public  ordinances ;  to  which  I  may  also  add,  in  denying  our- 
selves, and  taking  up  our  crosses,  which  himself  hath  done  | 
before  us,  as  well  as  required  of  us. 

What  now  remains,  but  that  seeing  the  steps  wherein  our 
Saviour  walked,  we  should  all  resolve  to  walk  together  in  them. 
And  I  hope  that  I  need  not  use  arguments  to  persuade  any  to 
it ;  it  is  enough  one  would  think,  that  Christ  himself,  whose 
name  we  bear,  expects  and  commands  it  from  us.  And  in 
that  the  sum  of  all  our  religion  consisteth  in  obeying  and  fol- 
lowing Christ,  the  circumstances  of  whose  life  are  recorded  on 
purpose  that  we  may  imitate  him  unto  the  utmost  of  our  power, 
not  only  in  the  matter  but  manner  of  our  actions,  even  in  the 
circumstances  as  well  as  in  the  substance  of  them. 

But  this  I  dare  say  we  all  both  know  and  believe,  even  that 
it  is  our  duty  to  follow  Christ ;  and  therefore  it  is  a  sad,  a  dis- 
mal thing  to  consider,  that  amongst  them  that  know  it,  there 
are  so  few  that  do  it :  but  even  those  that  go  under  the  name 
of  Christians  themselves,  do  more  generally  follow  the  beasts 
of  the  field,  or  the  very  fiends  of  hell,  rather  than  Christ  our 


imitation  of  Christ.  287 

'(Saviour.  For  all  covetous  worldings  that  look  no  higher  than 
jarth,  and  all  luxurious  epicures  that  labour  after  no  other  but 
jensual  pleasures,  whom  do  they  imitate  but  the  beasts  that 
ferish.  And  as  for  the  proud  and  arrogant,  the  deceitful  and 
nalicious,  seducers  of  their  brethren,  and  oppressors  of  their 
Neighbours,  all  backbiters,  and  false-accusers,  all  deriders  of 
teligion,  and  apostates  from  it,  they  are  all  of  their  father  the 
levil,  and  his  works  they  do.  And  if  all  such  persons  should 
)e  taken  from  amongst  us,  how  few  would  be  left  behind  that 
bllow  Christ  ?  very  few  indeed !  but  I  hope  there  would  be 
ome.  And  oh  that  all  who  read  this  would  be  in  the  number 
f  them,  even  that  they  would  all  from  this  day  forward  resolve 
o  come  as  near  our  blessed  Saviour  in  all  their  actions  both 
o  God  and  man,  as  possibly  they  can;  which  if  we  once 
id,  what  holy,  what  happy  lives  should  we  then  lead  ?  how 
should  we  then  antedate  both  the  work  and  joys  of  heaven  ? 
and  how  certain  should  we  be  to  be  there  ere  long,  where 
Christ  that  is  the  pattern  of  our  lives  here,  will  be  the  portion 
of  our  souls  for  ever. 

Thus  I  have  shown  what  Christ  requires  of  those  who  would 
be  his  disciples,  enjoining  them  to  deny  themselves,  take  up 
jtheir  cross,  and  follow  him.  And  now  I  have  done  my  duty  in 
explaining  these  words,  it  is  all  my  readers  as  well  as  mine  to 
practise  them,  which  I  heartily  wish  we  would  all  resolve  to 
do  ;  and  I  must  say,  it  highly  concerns  us  all  to  do  so  ;  for  we 
can  never  be  saved  but  by  Christ,  nor  by  him  unless  we  be  his 
disciples  ;  neither  can  we  be  his  disciples,  unless  we  do  what 
here  is  required  of  us.  And  therefore  if  we  care  not  whether 
we  be  saved  or  no,  we  may  think  no  more  of  these  things,  nor 
trouble  our  heads  about  them  ;  but  if  we  really  desire  to  come 
to  heaven,  let  us  remember  he,  who  alone  can  bring  us  thither, 
hath  told  us,  that  we  must  deny  ourselves,  take  up  our  cross, 
and  follow  him. 


THOUGHTS 


OUR  CALL.  AND  ELECTION. 


MANY  are  called,  (saith  our  Saviour,  Matt.  xxii.  14.)  but 
few  chosen.  Oh  dreadful  sentence,  who  is  able  to  hear  it  with- 
out trembling  and  astonishment !  If  he  had  said,  that  of  all  the 
men  that  are  born  into  the  world  there  are  but  few  saved,  this 
would  not  have  struck  such  a  fear  and  horror  into  us  ;  for  we 
might  still  hope,  that  though  Turks,  Jews,  and  Heathens,  which 
are  far  the  greatest  part  of  the  world,  should  all  perish,  yet  we 
few  in  comparison  of  them,  who  are  baptized  into  his  name, 
who  profess  his  Gospel,  who  enjoy  his  ordinances,  who  are  ad- 
mitted to  his  sacraments,  that  all  we  who  are  called  to  him, 
might  be  chosen  and  saved  by  him  ;  but  that  of  those  very 
persons  who  are  called,  there  are  but  few  chosen  :  what  a  sharp 
and  terrible  sentence  is  this  !  who  can  bear  it  ?  especially  con- 
sidering by  whom  it  was  pronounced,  even  by  Christ  himself. 
If  a  mere  man  had  spoken  it,  we  might  hope  it  was  but  an 
human  error  ;  if  an  angel  had  uttered  it,  we  might  think  it 
possible  he  might  be  mistaken  ;  but  Christ  himself,  the  eternal 
Son  of  God,  who  is  truth  and  infallibility  itself,  that  he  should 
assert  it,  that  he  who  laid  down  his  own  life  to  redeem  ours, 
that  he  who  came  into  the  world  on  purpose  to  call  and  save 
us,  that  he  in  whom  alone  it  is  possible  for  us  to  be  chosen  to 
salvation,  that  he  should  say,  Many  are  called,  but  few  chosen. 
This  is  an  hard  saying  indeed,  which  may  justly  make  our  ears 
to  tingle,  and  our  hearts  to  tremble  at  the  hearing  of  it.  And 
jyTet  we  see  our  Saviour  here  expressly  saith  it,  and  not  only 
here  neither,  but  again,  Matt.  xx.  16.  Whence  we  may  gather, 
that  it  is  a  thing  he  would  have  us  often  think  of,  and  a  matter 
of  more  than  ordinary  importance,  in  that  he  did  not  think  it 
enough,  to  tell  us  of  it  at  once,  but  he  repeated  it  in  the  same 
words  again,  that  we  might  be  sure  to  remember  it,  and  take 
especial  notice  of  it,  that  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen. 


call  and  election.  289 

In  which  words,  that  we  may  understand  our  Saviour's 
meaning  aright,  we  must  first  consider  the  occasion  of  them 
in  this  place,  which  in  brief  was  this.  Our  Saviour,  according 
to  the  custom  that  obtained  in  those  days  amongst  the  wise 
men  of  the  east,  delighting  to  use  parables,  thereby  to  repre- 
sent his  heavenly  doctrine  more  clearly  to  the  understanding 
of  his  hearers,  in  this  chapter  compares  the  kingdom  of  God 
to  a  certain  king  that  made  a  marriage  for  his  son,  and  sent  his 
servants  to  call  them  that  were  bidden  to  the  ivedding,  ver.  2,  3. 
Where,  by  the  king,  he  means  the  eternal  God,  the  universal 
Monarch  of  the  world,  who  intending  to  make  a  marriage  be- 
twixt his  son  and  the  church,  styled  the  spouse  of  Christ,  he 
first  sent  to  his  guests  before  bidden,  even  the  Jews,  the  seed 
of  Abraham  his  friend,  and  at  that  time  his  peculiar  people. 
But  they  not  hearkening  to  the  first  invitation,  he  sends  to  them 
again,  ver.  4.  Yet  they  still  made  light  of  it,  having  it  seems, 
as  we  most  have,  other  business  to  mind,  and  therefore  went 
their  way,  some  to  their  farms,  others  to  their  merchandize, 
ver.  5.  By  which  our  Saviour  intimates,  that  one  great  reason 
why  men  accept  not  of  the  overtures  of  grace  made  unto 
them  in  the  Gospel,  is  because  their  minds  are  taken  up  with 
the  cares  of  this  world,  looking  upon  their  farms,  their  trades, 
and  merchandize,  as  things  of  greater  moment  than  heaven 
and  eternal  glory.  Yea,  some  of  them  took  the  servants  which 
were  sent  to  invite  them,  and  treated  them  spitefully  and  slew 
them,  ver.  6.  Why,  what  is  the  matter  ?  what  injury  have  the 
servants,  the  prophets,  the  apostles,  or  the  ministers  of  Christ 
done  them  ?  What,  do  they  come  to  oppress  them,  to  take 
their  estates  from  them  ?  To  disgrace,  or  bring  them  into  bond- 
age ?  No,  they  only  come  to  invite  them  to  a  marriage  feast,  to 
tender  them  the  highest  comforts  and  refreshments  imaginable 
both  for  their  souls  and  bodies.  And  is  this  all  the  recompence 
they  give  them  for  their  kindness,  not  only  to  refuse  it,  but  to 
abuse  them  that  bring  it  ?  Well  might  this  glorious  King  be 
angry  and  incensed  at  such  an  affront  offered  him  as  this  was  ; 
and  therefore  he  sent  forth  his  armies,  and  destroyed  those  mur- 
derers, and  burnt  up  their  city,  ver.  7.  as  we  all  know  he  did 
to  the  murdering  Jews,  who  soon  after  this  were  destroyed, 
and  their  royal  city  Jerusalem  burnt.  But  now  the  feast  is 
prepared,  shall  there  be  none  to  eat  it  ?  Yes,  for  seeing  they 
who  were  first  bidden  were  not  worthy  to  partake  of  his  dain- 
ties, he  orders  his  servants  to  go  into  the  high-ways,  and  bid  as 
many  as  they  could  find  to  the  marriage,  ver.  8,  9.  The  Jews 
having  refused  the  Gospel,  God  sends  to  invite  the  Gentiles  to 
it,  who  hitherto  had  been  reckoned  aliens  to  the  commonwealth 

B  b 


290  Thoughts  upon  our 

of  Israel,  strangers  to  the  covenant  of  promise,  having  no  hope* 
and  without  God  in  the  world,  Eph.  ii.  12.  But  now  they  also 
are  bidden  to  the  wedding,  they  are  called  to  Christ,  and  in- 
vited to  partake  of  all  the  privileges  of  the  Gospel.  For  the 
servants  having  received  the  command,  ivent  out  into  the  high- 
way, even  into  all  the  bye-places  and  corners  of  the  world,  and 
gathered  together  all  as  many  as  they  found,  both  bad  and  good, 
and  the  wedding  was  furnished  with  guests,  ver.  10.  But 
amongst  these  too,  when  the  king  came  to  see  his  guests,  he 
saw  one  that  had  not  on  a  wedding  garment,  ver.  11.  Under 
which  one  are  represented  all  of  the  same  kind,  who  have  not 
on  their  wedding  garment,  that  is,  who  walk  not  worthy  of 
the  vocation  wherewith  they  are  called,  not  being  clothed 
with  humility,  faith,  and  other  graces  suitable  for  a  Christian. 
All  which,  notwithstanding  they  were  invited,  yea  and  came  in 
too  upon  their  invitation,  yet  they  are  cast  out  again  into  utter 
darkness,  Matt.  xxii.  12,  13.  And  then  he  adds,  for  many  are 
called,  but  few  chosen ;  as  if  he  should  have  said,  The  Jews 
were  called,  but  would  not  come  ;  the  Gentiles  are  called, 
they  come,  but  some  of  them  are  cast  out  again  ;  so  that  of 
the  many  which  are  called,  there  are  but  few  chosen.  For 
many  are  called,  but  few  chosen. 

Which  short,  but  pithy  saying,  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  that 
we  may  rightly  understand,  we  shall  first  consider  the  former 
part  of  it,  many  are  called,  and  then  the  latter,  but  few  chosen. 
That  we  may  apprehend  the  full  meaning  of  the  first  part  of 
this  proposition,  many  are  called,  there  are  three  things  to  be 
considered. 

1.  What  is  here  meant  by  being  called. 

2.  How  men  are  called. 

3.  How  it  appears  that  many  are  called. 

As  for  the  first,  what  we  are  here  to  understand  by  being 
called.  We  must  know  that  this  is  meant  only  of  God's  voice 
to  mankind,  making  known  his  will  and  pleasure  to  them,  call- 
ing upon  them  to  act  accordingly  ;  and  so  inviting  them  to  his 
service  here,  and  to  the  enjoyment  of  his  presence  hereafter. 

But  to  explain  the  nature  of  it  more  particularly,  we  must 
consider  the  terminus  a  quo,  and  the  terminus  ad  quod,  what  it 
is  God  calls  us  from,  and  what  it  is  he  calls  us  to ;  both  whicli 
we  shall  speak  to,  jointly  or  together. 

1.  He  calls  us  from  darkness  to  light,  from  error  and  igno- 
rance, to  truth  and  knowledge  :  as  he  made  us  rational  and 
knowing  creatures  at  first,  so  he  would  have  us  to  be  again, 
so  as  to  understand  and  know  him  that  made  us,  and  that 'gave 
us  the  power  of  understanding  and  knowing  ;  and  not  employ 


call  and  election.  291 

the  little  knowledge  we  have  only  about  the  affairs  of  our  bo- 
dies, our  trades,  and  callings  in  this  world,  nor  yet  in  learning 
arts  and  sciences  only,  but  principally  about  the  concerns  of 
our  immortal  souls,  that  we  may  know  him  that  is  the  true  God, 
and  Jesus  Christ  whom  he  hath  sent ;  without  which  all  our 
other  knowledge  will  avail  us  nothing.  We  are  still  in  the 
dark,  and  know  not  whither  Ave  are  going  ;  out  of  which  dark, 
and  by  consequence,  uncomfortable  as  well  as  dangerous  es- 
tate, God  of  his  infinite  mercy  is  pleased  to  call  us,  that  we 
should  shew  forth  the  praises  of  him  who  hath  called  us  out  of 
darkness  into  his  marvellous  light,  1  Pet.  ii. 

2.  God  calls  us  from  superstition  and  idolatry,  to  serve  and 
worship  him.  For  we  are  called  to  turn  from  idols,  to  serve 
the  living  and  true  God,  1  Thes.  i.  9.  Thus  he  called  Abra- 
ham out  of  Chaldea,  and  his  posterity  the  Israelites  out  of 
Egypt,  places  of  idolatry,  that  they  might  serve  and  worship 
him,  and  him  alone.  Thus  he  called  our  ancestors  of  this  na- 
tion out  of  their  heathenish  superstitions,  to  the  knowledge  and 
worship  of  himself,  and  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord.  And 
thus  he  called  upon  us  to  fee  from  idolatry,  1  Cor.  x.  14.  not 
only  from  the  heathenish  or  popish,  but  from  all  idolatry  what- 
soever, and  by  consequence  from  covetousness,  which  God 
himself  tells  us  in  plain  terms  is  idolatry,  Col.  iii.  5.  And  so 
indeed  is  our  allowing  ourselves  in  any  known  sin  whatsoever; 
for  we  idolize  it  by  setting  it  up  in  our  hearts  and  affections, 
instead  of  God ;  yea,  and  bow  down  to  it,  and  serve  it,  though 
not  in  our  bodies  yet  in  our  souls,  which  is  the  highest  kind 
of  idolatry  which  God  calls  us  from. 

3.  Hence  he  also  calls  us  from  all  manner  of  sin  and  pro- 
faneness,  to  holiness  and  piety,  both  in  our  affections  and  ac- 
tions. For  as  the  apostle  saith,  God  hath  not  called  us  to  un- 
cleanness,  but  to  holiness,  1  Thess.  iv.  7.  Where  by  unclean- 
ness  he  means  all  manner  of  lusts  and  corruptions,  which  defile 
the  soul,  and  make  it  unclean  and  impure  in  the  sight  of  God. 
These  God  doth  not  call  us  to,  but  from  :  it  is  holiness  and 
universal  righteousness  that  he  calls  us  to,  and  commands  us 
to  follow.  This  is  the  great  thing  that  Christ  in  his  Gospel 
calls  for  ;  for  the  grace  of  God,  which  is  in  his  Gospel,  hath 
now  appeared  to  all  men,  teaching  us  that  denying  ungodliness 
and  worldly  lusts,  we  should  live  soberly,  righteously,  and  god- 
ly in  this  present  world,  Tit.  ii.  11,  12.  He  now  commandeth 
all  men  every  where  to  repent,  and  turn  to  God,  Acts  xvii.  30. 
Hence  he  is  said  to  have  called  us  with  an  holy  calling,  2  Tim. 
i.  9.  And  as  he  who  hath  called  us  is  holy,  so  ought  we  to 
be  holy  in  'all  manner  of  conversation,  1  Pet.  i.  15.     Thus 


292  Thoughts  upon  our 

therefore  we  all  are  called  to  be  an  holy  people,  a  people  zeal- 
ous of  good  works,  a  people  devoted  wholly  to  the  service  of 
the  living  God.  In  brief,  we  are  called  to  be  saints,  a  people 
consecrated  unto  God  ;  and  therefore,  as  every  vessel  in  the 
temple  was  holy,  so  we  being  called  to  be  the  temples  of  the 
Holy  Ghost,  every  thing  in  us  should  he  holy ;  our  thoughts 
should  be  holy,  our  affections  holy,  our  words  holy,  our  desires 
holy  ;  every  faculty  of  our  souls,  every  member  of  our  bodies, 
and  every  action  of  our  lives,  should  be  holy  ;  every  thing  with- 
in us,  every  thing  about  us,  every  thing  that  comes  from  us, 
should  be  holy ;  and  all  because  our  calling  is  holy  ;  and  we 
ought  to  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  we  are  called, 
Eph.  iv.  1. 

4.  God  calls  us  from  carnal  and  temporal  things,  to  mind 
heaven  and  eternal  glory.  He  sees  and  observes  how  eager  we 
are  in  prosecuting  of  this  world's  vanities,  and  therefore  calls 
upon  us  to  leave  doting  upon  such  transitory  and  unsatisfying 
trifles,  and  to  mind  the  things  that  belong  to  our  everlasting 
peace  ;  not  to  be  conformed  to  this  world,  but  transformed  by 
the  renewing  of  our  minds,  that  we  may  prove  lvhat  is  that 
good,  that  acceptable,  and  perfect  will  of  God,  Rom.  xii.  2. 
To  set  our  affections  upon  things  above,  and  not  upon  things 
that  are  upon  earth,  Col.  iii.  2.  To  seek  the  kingdom  of  God 
and  his  righteousness  in  the  first  place,  Matt.  vi.  33.  Hence 
it  is  styled  an  heavenly  calling,  Heb.  iii.  1 .  and  aw  high  calling, 
Phil.  iii.  14.  because  we  are  called  by  it  to  look  after  high  and 
heavenly  things.  He  that  made  us  hath  so  much  kindness  for 
us,  that  it  pities  him  to  see  us  moil  and  toil,  and  spend  our 
strength  and  labour,  about  such  low  and  pitiful,  such  imperti- 
nent and  unnecessary  things,  which  himself  knows  can  never 
satisfy  us,  and  therefore  he  calls  and  invites  us  to  himself,  and 
to  the  enjoyment  of  his  own  perfections,  which  are  able  to  fill 
and  satiate  our  immortal  souls. 

5.  Hence,  lastly,  we  are  called  from  misery  and  danger,  to 
the  state  of  happiness  and  felicity.  As  he  called  Lot  out  of 
Sodom,  when  fire  and  brimstone  was  ready  to  fall  upon  it,  so 
he  calls  us  from  the  world  and  sin,  because  otherwise  wrath 
and  fury  will  fall  upon  our  heads.  Or,  as  he  called  Noah  into 
the  ark,  to  preserve  him  from  the  overflowing  flood,  so  he  calls 
us  into  his  service,  and  to  the  faith  of  his  Son,  that  so  we  may 
escape  that  flood  of  misery,  which  will  suddenly  drown  the  im- 
penitent and  unbelieving  world.  And  therefore  we  must  not 
think  that  he  calls  and  invites  us  to  him,  because  he  stands  in 
need  of  us,  or  wants  our  service  ;  no,  it  is  not  because  he  can- 
not be  happy  without  us,  but  because  we  cannot  be  happy  with- 


call  and  election.  292 

out  him,  nor  in  him  neither  unless  we  come  unto  him.  This 
is  the  only  reason  why  he  calls  us  so  earnestly  to  him  ;  For  as 
I  live,  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  tlie 
wicked,  but  that  the  wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live.  Turn 
ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  tvill  ye  die,  O  house  of  Is?-ael!  Ezek. 
xxxiii.  1 1 .  Let  us  not  stand  therefore  pausing  upon  it,  and 
considering  whether  we  shall  hearken  to  God's  call  or  no,  nor 
say  severally  within  ourselves,  How  shall  I  part  with  my  pro- 
fits ?  How  shall  I  deny  myself  the  enjoyment  of  my  sensual 
pleasures  1  How  shall  I  forsake  my  darling  and  beloved  sins  ? 
But  rather  say,  How  shall  I  abide  the  judgment  of  the  great 
God  ?  How  shall  I  escape,  if  I  neglect  so  great  salvation  as  I 
am  now  called  and  invited  to  ?  For  we  may  assure  ourselves, 
this  is  the  great  and  only  end  why  God  calls  so  pathetically 
upon  us  to  come  unto  him,  that  so  we  may  be  delivered  from 
his  wrath,  and  enjoy  his  love  and  favour  for  ever. 

Thus  we  see  what  it  is  that  God  calls  mankind  both  from 
and  to  ;  he  calls  them  from  darkness  to  light,  from  idolatry  to 
true  religion,  from  sin  to  holiness,  from  earth  to  heaven,  and 
from  the  deepest  misery  to  the  highest  happiness  that  they  are 
capable  of.  The  next  thing  to  be  considered  is,  how  God  is 
pleased  to  call  us ;  for  which  we  must  know,  that, 

1.  He  hath  vouchsafed  to  call  some  with  his  own  mouth,  as 
I  may  so  speak,  even  by  immediate  revelations  from  himself. 
Thus  he  called  Abraham  and  Moses,  and  several  of  the  patri- 
archs of  the  Old  Testament.  And  thus  he  called  Paul,  Christ 
himself  calling  from  heaven  to  him,  Saul,  Saul,  ivhy  persecutest 
thou  me?  Acts  ix.  4.  And  it  is  observable,  that  whosoever 
were  thus  called,  they  always  obeyed.  But  this  is  not  the  call- 
ing here  spoken  of. 

2.  God  calls  all  mankind  by  his  works  and  providences.  All 
the  creatures  in  the  world  are  as  so  many  tongues  deolaring 
the  wisdom,  power,  goodness,  and  glory  of  God  unto  us,  and 
so  call  upon  us  to  praise,  honour,  and  obey  him.  And  all  his 
providences  have  their  several  and  distinct  voices  ;  his  mercies 
bespeak  our  affections,  and  his  judgments  our  fear.  Hear  ye, 
saith  he,  the  rod,  and  ivho  hath  appointed  it,  Mic.  vi.  9.  The 
rod,  it  seems,  hath  a  voice,  which  we  are  bound  to  hear.  But 
though  many,  yea,  all  the  world,  be  called  this  way,  yet  neither 
is  this  the  calling  our  Saviour  means,  when  he  saith,  many  are 
called,  but  few  chosen. 

3.  Lastly,  Therefore  God  hath  called  many  by  the  ministry 
of  his  word,  and  of  his  servants  the  prophets,  the  apostles  and 
their  successors  declaring  it,  and  explaining  it  to  them.  Thus 
God  spake  to  our  fathers  by  the  prophets,  rising  up  early  and 

T4  K    9 


294  Thoughts  upon  our 

sending  them  to  call  sinners  to  repentance,  by  shewing  them 
their  sins,  and  the  dangerous  consequences  of  them.  As  when 
he  sent  his  prophet  Isaiah,  he  bids  him  cry  aloud,  spare  not, 
lift  up  thy  voice  as  a  trumpet,  and  shew  my  people  their  trans- 
gressions, and  the  house  of  Jacob  their  sins,  Isaiah,  lviii.  1 . 
And  they  being  convinced  of  and  humbled  for  their  sins,  then 
he  sent  his  prophets  to  invite  them  to  accept  of  grace  and  par- 
don from  him,  saying,  in  the  language  of  the  same  prophet, 
Ho !  every  one  that  thirsteth,  come  ye  to  the  waters,  and  he  that 
hath  no  money,  come  ye,  buy  and  eat ;  yea,  come  buy  wine  and 
milk  without  money  and  without  price,  Isaiah,  v.  1,2,  3.  And 
God  having  thus  at  sundry  times  and  in  divers  manners  spoken 
in  time  past  unto  the  fathers  by  the  prophets,  hath  in  these  last 
days  spoken  unto  us  by  his  Son,  whom  he  hath  appointed  heir 
of  all  things,  by  ivhom  also  he  made  the  worlds,  Heb.  i.  1,2. 
who  therefore  said  with  his  own  mouth,  that  he  came  not  to 
call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance,  Matt.  ix.  13. 
Hence  as  soon  as  ever  he  entered  upon  his  ministry,  he  called 
to  mankind,  saying,  Repent,  and  believe  the  Gospel,  Mark  i, 
15.  and  Come  unto  me  all  ye  that  labour  and  are  heavy  laden, 
Matt.  xi.  28.  And  when  he  was  to  depart  hence,  he  left  order 
with  his  apostles,  to  go  and  call  all  nations,  and  teach  them 
what  he  had  commanded,  promising  that  himself  would  be  with 
them  to  the  end  of  the  world,  Matt,  xxviii.  1 9,  20,  By  virtue 
therefore  of  this  commission,  not  only  the  apostles  themselves, 
but  all  succeeding  ministers  in  all  ages  to  the  end  of  the  world, 
are  sent  to  call  mankind  to  embrace  the  Gospel,  and  to  ac- 
cept of  the  terms  propounded  in  it.  So  that  when  we  his 
ministers  preach  unto  them,  or  call  upon  them  to  repent  and 
turn  to  God,  they  must  not  think  we  come  in  our  own  name  ; 
for,  as  the  apostle  tells  the  Corinthians,  We  are  ambassadors 
for  Christ,  as  though  God  did  beseech  you  by  us  ;  we  pray  you 
in  Christ's  stead  be  ye  reconciled  to  God.  2  Cor.  v.  20. 
Hence  in  Scripture  we  are  called  also  heralds,  and  our  office 
is  to  proclaim  as  heralds,  the  will  and  pleasure  of  Almighty 
God  unto  mankind,  to  offer  peace  and  pardon  to  all  that  have 
rebelled  against  our  Lord  and  master  the  King  of  heaven,  if 
they  will  now  come  in,  and  submit  themselves  unto  him  ;  if  not, 
in  a  most  solemn  and  dreadful  manner,  to  denounce  his  wrath 
and  heavy  displeasure  against  them.  So  that  as  the  angel  was 
sent  to  call  Lot  out  of  Sodom,  when  the  Lord  was  going  to 
rain  fire  and  brimstone  from  heaven  upon  it  ;  so  God  being 
ready  every  moment  to  shower  down  his  fury  and  vengeance 
upon  the  impenitent  and  unbelieving  world,  he  sends  us  to  call 


call  and  election.  295 

ness  to  light,  from  the  power  of  Satan  unto  God,  Acts  xxvi. 
18.  and  to  invite  them  to  his  court,  to  live  with  him  and  be 
happy  for  ever. 

And  that  this  is  the  proper  meaning  of  our  blessed  Saviour, 
in  this  place,  where  he  saith,  many  are  called,  is  plain  from 
the  parable  whereon  these  words  are  grounded  ;  where  the  king 
is  said  to  have  sent  his  servants  to  call  the  guests  which  were 
bidden  to  the  marriage  feast,  and  put  words  into  their  mouths, 
telling  them  what  to  say,  verse  4,  as  he  hath  given  us  also  in- 
structions how  to  call  and  invite  mankind  in  his  holy  word.  And 
when  of  the  many  which  were  called,  there  would  but  few  come ; 
hence  our  Saviour  uttered  this  expression,  that  many  are  called, 
but  few  chosen.  From  whence  it  is  clear  and  obvious,  that  our 
Saviour  means  not  such  as  were  called  immediately  from  God 
himself,  for  they  were  but  few  ;  nor  yet  such  as  are  called  by 
the  works  of  creation  and  providence,  for  so  not  many  only,  but 
all  are  called ;  but  he  means  such  as  are  called  by  his  word, 
and  by  his  servants  and  ministers  reading,  preaching,  and  ex- 
plaining of  it. 

And  verily  that  many  have  been  and  still  are  called  in  this 
sense,  which  is  the  next  thing  I  promised  to  shew,  I  need  not 
stand  long  to  prove.  For  our  Saviour  having  commanded  his 
apostles  to  go  and  call  all  nations  to  his  faith,  which  is  the  pro- 
per meaning  of  that  place,  Matt,  xxviii.  19.  it  cannot  be  de- 
nied but  that  the  apostles  presently  dispersed  themselves,  and 
preached  the  Gospel  to  all  nations  ;  which  they  did  so  effectu- 
ally, that  in  a  few  years  after,  even  in  St.  Paul's  time,  the  mys- 
tery of  the  Gospel  was  made  known  to  all  nations  for  the  obedi- 
ence of  faith,  Rom.  xvi.  26.  and  in  St.  John's  time,  some  were 
redeemed  out  of  every  kindred,  and  tongue,  and  people,  and  na- 
tion, Rev.  vii.  9.  Yea,  so  mightily  grew  the  word  of  God  and 
prevailed,  that  the  ancients  compared  it  to  lightning,  that  im- 
mediately dispersed  itself,  and  was  seen  all  the  world  over.  So 
that  in  less  than  two  hundred  years,  ab  ortu  solis  ad  occasum 
lex  Christiana  suscepta  est,  the  Christian  religion  was  received 
all  the  world  over  from  east  to  west,  as  Lactantius  who  then  lived 
asserts.  From  which  time  therefore,  how  many  thousands  of 
millions  of  souls  have  been  called  to  the  faith  of  Christ,  by 
the  preaching  of  his  Gospel.  And  not  to  speak  of  other  na- 
tions, how  soon  did  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arise  upon  these 
western  parts  of  the  world,  and  particularly  upon  this  nation, 
wherein  we  dwell ;  several  of  Christ's  own  disciples  pnd  apos- 
tles, as  Simon  Peter,  Simon  Zelotes,  James  the  son  of  Zebe- 
dee,  Joseph  of  Arimathea,  Aristobolus,  and  St.  Paul  himself, 
being  all  recorded  by  ecclesiastical  writers,  to  have  preached 


296  Thoughts  upon  our 

the  Gospel  to  this  nation.  Be  sure  in  less  than  two  hundred 
years  the  Christian  faith  was  here  received,  Tertullian  himself 
saying  expressly,  Britannorum  inaccessa  Romanis  loca,  Christo 
subdita,  the  Romans  could  scarcely  come  at  Britanny,  but  Christ 
hath  conquered  it.  And  soon  after  him,  Arnobius  saith  that 
the  Gospel  nee  ipsos  Indos  latuit  a  parte  orientis,  nee  ipsos 
Britannos  a  parte  occidentis,  was  not  concealed  either  from  the 
Indians  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  world,  nor  from  the  Britons 
themselves  in  the  west.  And  since  the  Gospel  was  first  here 
planted,  how  many  have  been  called  by  it  to  the  faith  of  Christ? 
Yea,  through  the  mercy  of  the  most  high  God,  how  many  at 
this  moment  are  called  all  the  nation  over?  And  to  come  still 
closer  to  ourselves,  all  that  read  this  have  I  doubt  not  been 
often  called  heretofore,  and  now  are  called  again.  For  in  the 
name  of  the  most  high  God,  and  of  his  Son  Christ,  I  pray  and 
beseech  you  all  as  strangers  and  pilgrims,  to  abstain  from 
fleshly  lusts  which  war  against  the  soul,  1  Peter  ii.  11.  to  re- 
pent of  your  sins,  and  believe  the  Gospel.  I  call  and  invite 
you  also  to  accept  the  offers  of  grace  and  pardon  which  are 
made  you  in  Jesus  Christ,  to  sit  down  with  him  at  his  own  ta- 
ble, and  feed  by  faith  upon  his  body  and  blood,  that  so  you  may 
partake  of  the  merits  of  his  death  and  passion,  and  so  live  with 
him  for  evermore.  Thus  you  are  all  called,  but  I  fear  there 
are  but  few  chosen. 

Having  thus  explained  and  proved  the  first  part  of  this  pro- 
position, that  many  are  called,  we  must  now  consider  the  mean- 
ing, truth,  and  reasons  of  the  other  part  of  it,  but  few  are  cho- 
sen. For  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen  ;  that  is,  there  are 
but  few  which  are  so  approved  of  by  God,  as  to  be  elected  and 
chosen  from  the  other  part  of  the  world,  to  inherit  eternal  life. 
That  this  is  the  main  drift  and  scope  of  our  blessed  Saviour  in 
these  words,  is  plain  from  the  foregoing  parable,  which  gave  him 
occasion  to  pronounce  them.  For  there  all  that  were  first 
called  refused  to  come  to  the  marriage  feast  which  they  were 
invited  to ;  and  of  them  which  came,  some  had  not  on  their 
wedding  garment  ;  that  is,  although  they  came  in  to  the  out- 
ward profession  of  the  Gospel,  yet  did  not  walk  worthy  of  the 
vocation  wherewith  they  were  called,  and  therefore  they  like- 
wise were  excluded  ;  upon  which  our  Saviour  adds  these 
words,  For  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen.  From  whence 
it  is  easy  to  observe  his  meaning  in  general  to  be  only  this,  that 
although,.many  are  called  to  partake  of  the  privileges  and 
graces  of  his  Gospel,  yet  seeing  of  those  who  were  called, 
many  would  not  come  at  all ;  and  of  those  who  come,  many 
do  not  come  so  as  the  Gospel  requires  of  them,  with  their  wed- 


call  and  election.  297 

ding  garment  on  ;  hence  of  the  many  who  are  called,  there  are 
but  few  chosen  to  partake  of  the  marriage  feast,  that  is,  of  the 
glorious  promises  made  in  the  Gospel,  to  those  that  come  aright 
unto  it.  Few,  not  absolutely  in  themselves  considered,  but 
few  comparatively  in  respect  of  the  many  which  are  not  cho- 
sen ;  or  rather  few  in  comparison  of  the  many  which  are  called. 
For  if  we  consider  them  absolutely  in  themselves,  they  are 
certainly  very  many  ;  our  Saviour  himself  saith,  many  shall 
come  from  the  east  and  icest,  and  shall  sit  down  with  Abraham, 
8fc.  Matt.  viii.  11.  And  in  the  Revelations  you  read  of  many 
thousands  that  were  sealed  of  every  tribe,  yea,  there  was  a 
great  multitude  which  no  man  could  number,  of  all  nations, 
and  kindreds,  and  people,  and  tongues,  stood  before  the  throne 
and  before  the  Lamb,  clothed  with  white,  and  palms  in  their 
hands,  Rev.  vii.  9.  Insomuch  that  for  all  the  numberless  num- 
ber of  fallen  or  apostatized  angels,  St.  Austin  was  of  opinion, 
that  there  will  be  as  many  men  saved,  as  there  are  angels 
damned,  or  rather  more.  For,  saith  he,  upon  the  fall  of  the 
angels  and  men,  God  determined  to  gather  together  by  his  in- 
finite grace  so  many  out  of  the  mortal  progeny,  ut  inde  sup- 
pleat  et  instauret  partem  qu<e  lapsa  est  angelorum,  that  he  might 
from  thence  make  up  and  restore  that  part  of  angels  which  was 
fallen;  ac  sic  ilia  dilecta  et  superna  civitas  non  fraudetur  suo- 
rum  numero  civium,  quinetiam  fortassis  et  uberiore  Icetetur. 
And  so  that  beloved  city  which  is  above  may  not  be  deprived  of 
the  number  of  its  citizens,  but  perhaps  rejoice  in  having  more. 
Aug.  de  Civ.  Dei.  lib.  xxii.  c.  1.  which  notion  he  grounds  upon 
those  words  of  our  Saviour  in  this  chapter,  for  in  the  resurrec- 
tion they  neither  marry  nor  are  given  in  marriage,  but  are  as 
the  angels  of  God  in  lieaven,  Matt.  xxii.  30.  or,  as  the  words 
may  be  interpreted,  they  are  equal  to  the  angels,  and  equal  in 
number  to  the  fallen,  as  well  as  in  quality  to  the  elect  angels, 
as  that  learned  and  pious  father  expounds  it.  But  howsoever 
that  be,  this  is  certain,  that  the  number  of  men  chosen 
and  saved,  will  be  very  great,  considered  absolutely  in  them- 
selves ;  and  yet  notwithstanding,  if  they  be  compared  with  the 
many  more  which  are  called,  they  are  but  very  few,  Christ's 
flock  is,  as  himself  styles  it,  a  very  little,  little  flock,  Luke  xii. 
32.  that  is,  in  comparison  of  the  vast  multitudes  of  souls  that 
flock  after  the  world  and  sin.  As  in  a  garden  there  are  but 
few  choice  flowers,  in  comparison  of  the  weeds  that  grow  in 
it ;  there  are  but  very  few  diamonds  and  precious  stones,  in 
comparison  of  pebbles  and  gravel  upon  the  sea-shore  ;  in  the 
richest  mines  there  is  far  more  dross  than  gold  and  silver  ;  so 
is  it  in  the  church  of  Christ ;  there  is  but  little  wheat,  in  com- 


298  Thoughts  upon  our 

parison  of  the  tares  that  come  up  with  it  ;  Christ  hath  a  great 
many  hangers  on,  but  few  faithful  and  obedient  servants  ;  there 
are  many  that  speak  him  very  fair,  and  make  a  plausible  pro- 
fession of  the  faith  and  religion  which  he  taught,  but  where 
shall  we  find  one  that  practiseth  it  1  If  there  be  here  one  and 
there  another,  two  or  three  in  a  parish,  or  perhaps  in  a  whole 
city,  what  is  this  to  the  innumerable  company  of  such  as  are 
called  by  him,  and  baptized  into  his  name,  and  yet  leave  him 
to  follow  after  the  world  and  vanity  :  oh  what  just  ground  had 
our  Saviour  to  say,  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen  ? 

But  to  demonstrate  the  truth  of  this  proposition  still  more 
fully,  and  as  clearly  as  possibly  I  can,  I  must  first  lay  down  one 
principle  as  a  postulatum,  which  I  suppose  all  will  acknow- 
ledge to  be  true,  and  that  is  this,  that  whatsoever  profession  a 
man  makes  of  the  Christian  religion,  it  will  avail  him  nothing 
without  the  practice  of  it  ;  or  if  you  will  take  it  in  our  Sa- 
viour's own  words,  Not  every  one,  saith  he,  that  saith  unto  me, 
Lord,  Lord,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  but  he  thai 
doth  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is  in  heaven,  Matt.  vii.  21. 
Or,  as  the  apostle  expresseth  it,  For  not  the  hearers  of  the  law 
are  just  before  God,  but  the  doers  of  the  law  shall  be  justified, 
Rom.  ii.  13.  That  is,  it  is  not  our  hearing  and  knowing  our 
duty  that  will  stand  us  in  any  stead  before  God,  but  our  doing 
of  it ;  it  is  not  our  believing  that  we  may  be  saved  by  believ- 
ing in  Christ,  whereby  we  can  be  saved,  without  actual  be- 
lieving in  him,  without  such  a  faith  whereby  we  depend  upon 
him,  for  the  pardon  and  salvation  of  our  immortal  souls,  and 
consequently  for  the  assistance  of  his  grace  and  Spirit,  where- 
by we  may  be  enabled  to  obey  his  Gospel,  and  to  perform  all 
such  things  as  himself  hath  told  us  are  necessary  in  order  to 
our  everlasting  happiness  :  and  whatsoever  faith  we  pretend 
to,  unless  it  comes  to  this,  that  it  put  us  upon  universal  obedi- 
ence to  all  the  commands  of  God,  we  may  conclude  it  will  do 
us  no  good,  for  it  is  not  such  a  faith  as  Christ  requires,  which 
always  works  by  love,  conquers  the  world,  subdues  sin,  puri- 
fies the  heart,  and  sanctifies  the  whole  soul  wheresoever  it  comes. 
It  is  such  a  faith  as  this  which  is  the  wedding  garment,  with- 
out which  no  man  is  chosen  nor  admitted  to  partake  of 
those  celestial  banquets,  which  Christ  our  Saviour  hath  pro- 
vided for  us.  And  therefore  no  man  can  have  any  ground  at 
all  to  believe  or  hope  himself  to  be  elected  or  chosen  to  eter- 
nal salvation,  that  is  not  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation  ; 
God  himself  having  told  us  expressly,  that  without  holiness  no 
man  shall  see  the  Lord,  Heb.  xii.  14.  So  that  having  God's 
own  word  for  it,  we  may  positively  and  confidently  assert,  that 


call  and  election.  299 

no  man  in  the  world  can  upon  just  grounds  be  reputed  as  cho- 
sen by  God,  that  doth  not  in  all  things,  to  the  utmost  of  his 
power,  conform  himself,  and  adjust  his  actions  to  the  laws  and 
commands  of  God.  So  that  how  many  soever  are  called,  how 
many  soever  come  into  the  outward  profession  of  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  yet  none  of  them  can  be  said  to  be  chosen,  but 
such  as  are  real  and  true  saints.  And  how  few  those  are,  is 
a  matter  which  we  have  more  cause  to  bewail  than  to  prove. 
Howsoever,  that  we  may  see  that  we  have  but  too  much  reason 
to  believe  this  assertion  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  that  many  are 
called,  but  few  chosen,  I  desire  that  we  may  but  consider  the 
estate  of  Christendom  in  general,  and  weigh  the  lives  and 
actions  of  all  such  as  profess  to  believe  in  Christ,  view  them 
well,  and  examine  them  by  the  Gospel  rules,  and  then  we 
shall  soon  conclude  that  there  are  but  £ew  chosen  ;  or  to  bring 
it  home  more  closely  to  ourselves,  who  are  all  called,  and  take 
out  from  amongst  us  all  such  persons  as  come  not  up  to  the 
terms  of  the  Gospel,  and  we  shall  find  that  there  are  but  few 
behind,  but  few  indeed  who  can  be  discerned  and  judged  by 
the  light  either  of  reason  or  Scripture  to  be  chosen  by  God  to 
eternal  life.     For  take  out  from  amongst  us, 

1.  All  atheistical  persons,  who  though  they  are  baptized 
into  the  name  of  Christ,  and  so  are  called  to  the  faith  of  Christ, 
yet  neither  believe  in  Christ  nor  God,  such  fools  as  say  in  their 
heart,  there  is  no  God,  Psal.  xiv.  1.  For  all  will  grant,  that 
they  are  not  chosen  by  God,  who  do  not  so  much  as  believe 
that  there  is  any  God  to  choose  them.     Neither  can  it  be  ima- 

i  gined  that  the  all-wise  God  should  choose  such  fools  as  these 
to  be  with  him,  who  will  not  so  much  as  acknowledge  him 

!to  be.  And  yet  how  many  such  fools  have  we  amongst 
us,  whose  practices  have  so  depraved  their  principles,  that 
they  will  not  believe  there  is  any  God,  because  they  wish  there 
,  |  was  none  ?  And  when  these  are  taken  from  amongst  the  called, 
1 1  1  fear  the  number  of  the  chosen  amongst  them  will  be  much 
•}  i  lessened. 

2.  Take  out  from   amongst  us  all  ignorant  persons,  that 
,    understand  not  the   common   principles  of  religion,  nor  the 

fundamental  articles  of  that  faith  which  they  arc  called  to : 
\  for  that  these  are  not  chosen,  is  plain,  in  that  though  they  be 
v  called  by  Christ,  yet  they  know  not  what  he  would  have  them 
r    do,  nor  yet  who  it  is  that  calls  them.     And  therefore  as  God 

would  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  so  for  that  end  he  would  have 
'    them  come  to  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,   1  Tim.  ii.  4.  that 

is.  he  would  have  them  know  all  such  truths  as  himself  hath 
,1  i  revealed  to  them  in  his  Gospel,  as  necessary  to  be  known  in 


300  Thoughts  upon  our 

order  to  their  eternal  salvation,  without  which  knowledge  it  is 
impossible  for  a  man  to  perform  what  is  required  of  him  ;  for 
though  a  man  may  know  his  duty  and  not  do  it,  no  man  can 
do  his  duty  unless  he  first  know  it.  And  therefore  gross  igno- 
rance and  saving  faith  cannot  possibly  consist  or  stand  togeth- 
er ;  for  saving  faith  is  always  joined  with,  or  puts  a  man  upon 
sincere  obedience  to,  all  the  commands  of  God.  But  how 
can  any  man  obey  the  commands  of  God,  who  neither  knows 
that  God,  whose  commands  they  are,  nor  yet  what  these  com- 
mands are  which  God  would  have  him  to  obey  ?  No,  certain- 
ly, a  blind  man  may  as  well  follow  his  temporal  calling,  how 
intricate  soever  it  be,  as  he  that  is  grossly  ignorant,  the  high 
calling  of  a  Christian  ;  for  he  is  altogether  incapable  of  it,  and 
so  not  only  unworthy,  but  unfit  to  be  chosen  to  it.  Hence 
God  himself  hath  told  us,  that  he  is  so  far  from  choosing  such 
as  live  and  die  in  this  manner  without  understanding,  that  he 
never  will  show  them  any  mercy  or  favour.  For  it  is  apeople, 
saith  he,  of  no  understanding ;  therefore  he  that  made  them  will 
not  hare  mercy  on  them,  and  he  that  formed  them  will  show  them 
no  favour,  Isa.  xxvii.  1.1.  Neither  doth  he  ever  blame  man- 
kind for  any  thing  in  the  world  more  than  for  not  knowing,  and 
therefore  not  considering  him  that  made  and  feeds  them,  Isa. 
i.  2,  3.  Hos.  iv.  1 .  And  that  we  may  be  still  farther  assured 
that  he  chooseth  no  such  persons  to  dwell  with  him  as  do  not 
know  him  and  his  commands,  he  hath  given  it  under  his  hand, 
that  he  rejects  them,  saying,  My  people  are  destroyed  for  lack 
of  knowledge :  because  thou  hast  rejected  knowledge,  I  trill  also 
reject  thee,  that  thou  shalt  be  no  priest  to  me  :  seeing  thou  hast 
forgotten  the  law  of  thy  God,  I  will  also  forget  thy  children, 
Hos.  iv.  6. 

That  therefore  no  persons  that  are  grossly  ignorant,  and  live 
and  die  in  that  condition,  are  chosen  to  eternal  salvation,  I 
suppose,  the  premises  considered,  all  will  acknowledge.  But, 
alas!  how  many  such  persons  are  there  in  the  world,  how 
many  amongst  ourselves  ?  How  many  who  are  very  cunning 
and  expert  in  the  management  of  any  worldly  business,  but 
are  mere  novices  or  rather  idiots  in  matters  of  true  religion  ? 
Or,  as  the  prophet  words  it,  Who  are  wise  to  do  evil,  but  to 
do  good  they  have  no  knowledge,  Jer.  iv.  22.  How  many  such 
ignorant  and  sottish  people  are  there  in  every  corner  of  the 
land,  and  in  this  city  itself?  where  they  do,  or  may  hear  the 
word  of  God  read  and  expounded  to  them  every  day,  and  yet 
ask  them  seriously  of  the  grounds  of  the  Christian  religion, 
and  the  reason  of  the  hope  that  is  in  them,  and  they  are  no 
more  able  to  give  a  satisfactory  or  rational  answer,  than  if 


call  and  election.  301 

'they  had  never  heard  of  any  such  book  as  the  Bible  in  the  world, 
or  had  been  born  and  bred  in  the  remotest  corners  of  Ameri- 
jca,  where  the  sound  of  the  Gospel  never  yet  came.  But  all 
'such,  how  many  soever  they  be,  though  they  be  called,  they 
imust  stand  aloof  off,  for  so  long  as  they  are  such  we  may  be 
confident  that  they  are  not  chosen.  Insomuch,  that  should  we 
take  away  no  other  from  the  number  of  the  called,  but  only 
such  as  know  not  what  they  are  called  to,  it  would  appear  but 
too  clearly  to  be  true,  that  of  the  many  which  are  called,  there 
are  but  {ew  chosen. 

3.  Take  out  from  amongst  us  all  vicious,  profane,  debauch- 
ed, and  impenitent  persons,  all  that  make  a  mock  of  sin,  and 
that  jeer  at  holiness,  that  live  as  without  God  in  the  world,  as 
if  they  had  neither  God  to  serve  nor  souls  to  save  ;  as  if  there 
was  neither  a  hell  to  avoid  nor  a  heaven  to  enjoy,  and  there- 
fore make  it  their  business  to  gratify  their  flesh,  and  to  indulge 
their  appetite  with  carnal  and  sensual  pleasures,  looking  no 
higher  than  to  be  fellow-sharers  with  the  brutes  that  perish  ; 
such  as  in  their  bewitching  cup  stick  not  to  fly  in  the  face  of 
heaven  itself,  and  dare  challenge  God  himself  to  damn  them  ; 
that  make  lying  their  usual  dialect,  and  swearing  their  pleas- 
ing rhetoric  ;  and  are  so  far  from  being  troubled  for  these  their 
sins,  that  they  take  pleasure  and  delight  in  them  ;  so  far  from 
being  ashamed  of  them,  that  they  make  them  their  pride  and 
glory,  and  so  make  it  their  pleasure  to  displease  God,  and  their 
highest  honour  to  dishonour  him  that  is  honour  and  perfection 
itself.  For  that  no  such  persons  as  these  who  live  and  die  in 
such  notorious  crimes  upon  earth,  are  chosen  to  live  with  God 
in  heaven,  none  can  deny  that  believes  the  Scriptures  to  be 
true,  which  in  plain  terms  assures  us  of  the  contrary.  Know 
ye  not,  saith  the  apostle,  that  the  unrigliteous  shall  not  inherit 
the  kingdom  of  God?  be  not  deceived,  neither  fornicators,  nor 
idolaters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers  of  them- 
selves with  mankind ;  nor  thieves,  nor  covetous,  nor  drunkards, 
nor  revilers,  nor  extortioners,  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God, 
1  Cor.  vi.  9,  10.  And  St.  John  tells  us,  that  only  they  who 
do  the  commandments  enter  into  the  city  of  heaven :  but  with- 
out are  dogs,  and  sorcerers,  and  whoremongers,  and  murder- 
ers, and  idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketh  a  lie,  Rev. 
xxii.  14,15.  So  that  all  such  persons,  without  timely  repent- 
ance, are  most  certainly  excluded  from  the  number  of  the  chosen. 
And  how  many  are  there  amongst  us  who  allow  themselves  in 
some  such  sin  or  other  ;  or  rather  where  shall  we  find  a  man 
that  doth  not  ?  But  to  all  persons  that  continue  in  such  sins,  I 
may  say,  stand  you  by,  you  have  no  ground  as  yet  to  think 

C  c 


Thoughts  upon  our 

that  you  are  chosen,  but  have  rather  all  the  reason  in  the  world 
to  believe,  that  it'  you  <ro  on  in  such  a  sinful  course,  you  will 
never  know  what  heaven  or  happiness  is.  But  when  all  such 
are  taken  out  of  the  number  of  the  called,  what  a  piteous 
scouting  will  be  left  behind!  In  plain  terms,  we  have  just  cause 
to  fear  that  ignorant  and  dissolute  prisons  make  the  greatest 
part  of  those  who  are  called  Christiana, 

4.  Take  out  from  amongsl  us  all  hypocritical  and  false 
hearted  person-,  that  seem  indeed  n>  be  honest  and  good  men, 
but  -till  retain  sonic  secret  sin  or  other  which  will  as  certainly 

keep  them  out  of  hn  aven  aa  the  most  notorious  or  scandalous 

crime  that  is:  such  as  OUf  Saviour  compare-  to  whited  sepul- 
chres,  Which    outwardly  appear  ver\   beautiful,    hut   ore  within 

full  <>f  (had  men's  bones,  and  of  all  uncleeum&ss,  Matt.  .wiii. 
27.  Such  whose  outward  conversation  are  altogether  un- 
blameable  ;  bo  that  no  man  can  charge  them  with  theft,  per- 
jury, drunkenness,  uncleanness,  and  the  like  ;  bul  in  the  mean 

while,     they    art     malicious,     uncharitable,    censorious,     prOUO, 

Belf-conceited,  disobedii  nt  to  parents  or  magistrates,  covetous, 
ambitious,  and  the  like*  And  so  though  they  be  free  from 
those  Bins  which  others  are  guilty  of,  yet  they  are  guilty  of  as 
bad  sins,  which  the  others  maj  hie  iV« «  d  from.  To  winch  also 
maj  be  added  all  Buch  as  make  indeed  a  irreat  show  of  piety, 
and  seem  mighty  zealous  for  the  little  circumstances  of  reli- 
gion, but  neglect  the  \\<  ightiei  matters  of  the  law,  the  love  of 
(j'od.  mercy,  justice  and  the  like.  But  for  all  the  vain  hopes 
and  high  conceits  thai  Buch  persons  may  have  of  themselves, 
they  are  fir  from  b<  ing  Buch  as  the  Gospel  requires  them,  and 
by  consequence  from  the  number  of  the  chosen  here  spoken  of. 
Poi  the  Pharisees  wen  such  persons  as  these,  and  yet  our 
Saviour  himself  tells  us,  That  <s<-(j>t  our  righteousness  exceed 

\ghteousm  m  of  th  scribes  and  Pharisees,  we  shall  in  no 
wise  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  God,  Matt  v.  20.  And  when 
he  t.  lis  us  elsewh<  re,  Thai  except  we  n y><  nt  we  must  all  fihe- 
//.  Luke  xin.  .;.  his  meaning  is,  not  that  we  must  re- 
pent of  some,  or  ms.ny,  or  most,  but  of  all  our  sins,  and  so 
repent  of  them  as  to  turn  from  them  ;  and  so  turn  from  all  sin, 
as  for  the  future  to  be  holy  in  all  manner  of  conversation, 
otherwise  our  Saviour  himself  assures  us,  that  he  will  never 

us,  but  we  must  perish  without  remedy. 
Let  any  man  consider  this,  and  then  tell  me  what  he  thinks  of 
the  number  of  the  chosen,  whether  it  be  not  very  small  indeed, 
in  comparison  of  the  many  which  are  called.  Tor  not  to  speak 
of  other  parts  of  ( Christendom,  all  the  people  of  this  nation  ;ire 
called  to  the  faith  of  Christ ;   and  how  many  they  are  I  cannot 


call  (i nd  election.  303 

my  we  all  know,  for  it  is  past  any  man's  knowledge.  But 
where  is  the  man  amongst  us  all.  that  doth  not  harbour  some 
secret  lust  or  other  in  his  bosom  :  yea,  of  the  many  men  in 
this  nation,  where  is  he  that  can  Bay  with  David,  J  have  k&fl 
myself  from  mine  iniquity  ?  Or  to  use  the  words  of  the  pro- 
phet, Run  ye  to  and  fro  through  the  streets  of  this  city,  and  see 
now  and  know,  and  seek  if  yr  can  find  a  man,  if  there  be  any 
that  cxccutcth  judgment,  that  scckcth  the  truth,  that  serreth  tlie 
Lord  with  a  perfect  heart  and  a  trilling  mind.  I  do  not  deny 
but  there  are  a  great  many  professors  of  religion  amongst  us, 
who  would  fain  be  accounted  more  strict  and  holy  than  their 
ii(ii_r|,i)OUrS)  so  as  t0  be  reckoned  the  religious  ;  as  the  friars 
and  mms  are  in  the  Church  of  Rome  :  but  are  they  therefore 
to  !>••  esteemed  the  elect  and  chosen  of  God,  because  they  fan- 
cy themselves  to  be  so?  or  rather  is  not  their  pride  and  self- 
conceitedness  an  argument,  that  they  are  not  so  ?  Blessed  be 
God  for  it,  I  have  no  spleen  nor  rancour  against  any  of  them, 
but  heartily  wish  they  were  as  truly  good  and  holy  as  they 
would  seem  to  he.  But  what  !  Is  not  pride  a  sin  ?  Is  not  sclf- 
conceitedness  a  sin  ?  Is  not  irreverence  in  God's  worship-  a 
sin  ?  Is  not  disobedience  to  magistrates  a  sin  ?  Is  not  uncha- 
ritableness  or  censoriousness  a  sin?  Certainly  til  these  wiM 
be  found  to  be  sins  another  day.  And  therefore  whatsoever 
pretences  men  make  unto  religion,  if  they  allow  themselves  in 
such  sins  as  these,  they  are  as  far  from  being  in  the  number  of 
the  chosen,  as  the  most  dissolute  and  scandalous  persons  in 
the  world.  But  when  these  too  arc  removed  from  the  num- 
ber of  the  called,  how  few  of  them  will  appear  to  be  chosen. 

5.  Yet  once  again.  Take  out  all  such  as  believe  not  in  our 
Lord  Jesus  (  lui.-t,  hut  being  morally  honest  and  faithful  in  per- 
forming their  duty  to  God  and  man,  trust  more  in  their  own 
good  works  than  to  his  merit  and  mediation.  For  that  all 
such  are  to  be  excluded,  is  plain  from  the  whole  tenor  of  the 
Gospel,  which  assures  us,  that  there  is  no  salvation  to  be  had 
but  only  by  believing  in  him.  But  if  Christ  should  come  this 
day  to  judgment,  would  he  find  faith  upon  earth  1  Verily,  I 
fear,  he  would  find  but  very  little,  if  any  at  all  amongst  us  :  he 
might,  I  believe,  find  some  pretty  strict  and  circumspect  in 
obeying  of  his  other  laws,  or  at  least  endeavouring  to  do  so. 
But  for  a  man  to  do  all  that  is  required  of  him,  and  yet  to 
count  himself  an  unprofitable  servant ;  for  a  man  to  do  all  he 
can,  and  yet  rest  upon  nothing  that  he  hath  done,  but  to  de- 
pend wholly  upon  another,  even  upon  Jesus  Christ  for  life  and 
happiness,  this  is  hard  indeed  to  flesh  and  blood,  and  as  rare 
to  find  as  it  is  to  find  a  rose  amongst  the  weeds  and  thistles  of 


304  Thoughts  upon  our 

a  barren  wilderness,  or  a  diamond  amongst  the  gravel  upon 
the  sea-shore  ;  here  and  there  I  believe  there  may  be  found 
one,  but  so  rarely,  that  they  can  scarce  be  termed  any,  he 
sure  but  very  few  in  comparison  of  the  many  w  huh  are  called. 

\..u  lei  us  put  these  things  together,  and  we  shall  easily 

errant    that   this   Baying   of  our  Saviour  was  but  too  true,  that 

many  an  called,  but  few  chosen.  And  to  bring  it  closer  to 
ourselves,  are  arc  all  called  t<>  repent  and  believe  the  Gospel: 
now  take  out  from  amongst  as  all  ignorant  persona  thai  have 
heard  indeed,  but  understand  not  what  they  bear  ;  all  atheisti- 
cal persons  that  believe  not  really  that  their  is  a  Ci^<\  to  judgi 
them  :  all  debauched  sinners  that  live  in  open  and  notorious* 
crimes;  all  pharisaiea]  hypocrites  that  avoid  open,  but  indulge 
themselves  in  Becref  sins,  that  have  tin  form,  but  not  tin  pow- 
er of  godliness;  and  all  such  who  are  as  St  Paul  was  before 
In-  conversion*  at  ttmching  tht  rightftmsnest  of  tin  law  blame* 
bat  ret  believe  not  in  .l<  bus  <  "hri.-t.  Take  out,  I  say,  all 
such  persons  as  I  have  named  from  amongst  us,  and  what  a 
small  number  proportionably  should  we  have  left  behind: 
How  many  would  be  excluded  the  presence  of  God,  how  fen1 
would  continue  in  it  .'  \\  hat  cause  should  we  then  have  to  say 

with  Our  Saviour,  that  many  arc  calU  d,  but  ft w  chostn. 

Having  thus  explained  the  meaning  and  confirmed  the  truth 

of  this  proposition,    that  many   are   called  but  few  chosen,    WS 

must  consider  the  reasons  of  it.  how  it  come-  to  pass  that  of 
the  many  which  are  called  there  are  but  few  chosen  .'  a  thing 
which  1  ct»n!e--  we  have  all  just  cause  to  wonder  and  admire 
at.  Are  not  men  all  rational  creatures?  are  they  not  abb  to 
distinguish  betwixt  good  and  e\ li  .'  ao  not  they  understand  their 
own  interest  '  What  then  should  be  the  reason  that  so  many 

of  them  should  be  called  and  invited  to  the  chiefest  good,  the 
highest  happiness  their  natun  -  are  capable  of,  yet  so  f<  s  of 

them  should  mind  or  prosecute  it.  so  as  to  be  chosen  or  admit- 
ted into   the  participation   of  it  .'    What  -hall  we  ascribe  it  to, 

the  will  and  pleasure  of  Almighty  God,  as  if  be  delighted  in 

the  ruin  of  his  creatures,  and  therefore  although  he  calls  them, 
he  would  not  have  them  come  unto  him  .'  No,  that  cannot  be  ; 
for  in  his  revealed  will,  which  is  the  only  rule  that  we  are  to 
walk  by,  he  bath  told  us  the  contrary  in  plain  terms,  and  hath 
confirmed  it  too  with  an  oath  ;  saying,  As  I  live,  saith  the 
Lord  God,  I  hare  no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked,  but  thai 
he  should  turn  from  his  way  and  lire,  E/.ck.  xxxiii.  11.  And 
elsewhere  he  assures  us,  that  he  would  heme  all  men  to  be  xar- 
ed,  and  to  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  1  Tim.  ii.  4. 
And  therefore  if  we  believe  what  God  saith,  nay,  if  we  believe 


call  and  election.  305 

what  lie  hath  sworn,  we  must  needs  acknowledge  that  it  is  his 
will  and  pleasure,  that  as  many  as  arc  called,  should  be  chosen 
and  saved.  And  indeed  it*  he  had  no  mind  we  should  come 
when  we  are  called  to  him,  why  should  he  call  us  all  to  come? 
Why  hath  he  given  us  his  word,  his  ministers,  his  ordinances, 
and  all  to  invite  and  oblige  us  to  repent  and  turn  to  him,  if 
after  all  he  was  resolved  not  to  accept  of  us,  nor  would  have 
us  come  at  all  I  Far  be  it  from  us,  that  we  should  have  such 
hard  and  unworthy  thoughts  of  the  great  Creator  and  Govern- 
or of  the  world  ;  especially  considering  that  he  hath  told  us 
the  contrary,  as  plainly  as  it  was  possible  for  him  to  express 
his  mind  unto  us.  I  do  not  deny,  but  that  according  to  the 
ipostle,  known  unto  God  arc  all  his  works  from  the  beginning 
of  the  world,  Acts  xv.  18.  And  that  there  are  several  pas- 
sages in  Scripture  which  intimate  unto  us  God's  eternal  elec- 
tion of  all  that  are  truly  pious,  to  live  with  him  for  ever.  But 
it  is  not  for  us  to  be  so  bold  and  impudent,  as  to  pry  into  thn 
secrets  of  God,  nor  so  curious  as  to  search  into  his  eternal 
and  incomprehensible  decrees  ;  but  we  must  still  remember 
the  words  of  Moses,  that  secret  things  belong  unto  the  Lord 
our  God;  but  these  things  which  arc  revealed  belong  unto  us, 
that  we  may  do  all  the  words  of  his  law,  Dcut.  xxix.  29.  What- 
soever is  necessary  for  us  to  bdievc  or  do,  in  order  to  our 
eternal  salvation,  is  clearly  revealed  to  us  in  the  holy  Scriptures  ; 
and  therefore  what  we  there  read  belongs  unto  us  to  know, 
neither  are  we  to  look  any  farther  than  to  his  revealed  will. 
But  God  in  the  Scriptures  doth  plainly  tell  us,  not  only  in  the 
places  before  quoted,  but  elsewhere,  that  he  is  not  willing  that 
any  should  perish,  but  that  all  should  come  to  repentance,  2 
Peter  iii.  0.  This  is  the  revealed  will  of  God,  which  we  are 
to  acquiesce  in,  and  rest  fully  satisfied  with,  so  as  to  act  ac- 
cordingly, without  concerning  ourselves  about  things  that  are 
too  high  for  us,  and  no  way  belong  unto  us.  And  therefore 
it  is  not  in  his  secret,  but  revealed  will,  that  we  are  to  search 
for  the  reasons  of  this  proposition,  that  many  are  called,  but 
few  chosen. 

Now  in  consulting  the  word  of  God,  to  find  out  the  reasons 
of  this  so  strange  assertion,  that  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen, 
I  know  no  better  or  fitter  place  to  search  for  them  than  this 
parable,  which  gave  our  blessed  Saviour  the  occasion  of  as- 
serting it ;  in  which  it  is  very  observable,  that  he  meddles  not 
at  all  with  any  reasons  a  priori,  deduced  from  the  eternal  de- 
crees of  his  Father,  but  he  only  suggests  to  us  the  reasons  a 
posteriori,  drawn  from  the  disposition  and  carriage  of  men, 
why  so  many  of  them  are  called,  and  yet  so  few  chosen. 

C  c  2 


306  Thoughts  upon  our 

For  the  opening  whereof  we  must  know,  that  the  end  and 
intent  of  this  parable  was  only  to  show  the  entertainment 
which  his  Gospel  had  then,  and  should  still  meet  with  in  the 
world  ;  many  refusing  to  embrace  it  at  all,  and  of  those  who 
embrace  it,  many  still  walking  unworthy  of  it.  So  that  the 
issue  and  consequence  of  it  will  be,  that  though  many  be  call- 
ed to  it,  there  are  but  few  chosen.  And  he  hath  so  worded 
the  parable,  that  we  need  not  seek  any  farther  for  the  reasons 
of  this  his  conclusion  from  it,  they  being  all  most  clearly  couch- 
ed in  the  parable  itself;  which  that  we  may  the  better  under- 
stand, I  shall  open  and  explain  them  particularly,  so  as  to  make 
them  intelligible,  I  hope,  to  the  meanest  capacity. 

The  first  reason  therefore  why  so  many  are  called,  but  so 
few  chosen,  is  because  they  who  are  called  to  Christ,  will  not 
come  unto  him  ;  for  this  is  the  first  reason  which  our  Saviour 
himself  in  the  parable  assigns  for  it ;  The  king,  saith  he,  sent 
his  servants  to  call  them  that  were  bidden  to  the  marriage,  and 
they  would  not  come,  Matt.  xxii.  3.  And  they  would  not  come, 
so  that  the  great  fault  is  still  in  the  wills  of  men,  which  are 
generally  so  depraved  and  corrupt,  that  though  they  be  called 
never  so  oft,  and  cannot  but  in  reason  acknowledge  that  it  is 
their  interest  to  come,  yet  they  have  so  strange  an  averseness 
to  the  holiness  and  purity  of  the  Gospel  which  they  are  called 
to,  that  they  will  not  come  unto  it  only  because  they  will  not ; 
for  here,  they  who  were  first  bidden,  give  no  reason  of  their 
refusal,  only  it  is  said,  they  would  not  come.  And  good  cause 
why ;  for  when  we  have  searched  into  all  the  reasons  imagina- 
ble, why  men  do  not  fully  submit  themselves  to  the  obedience 
of  the  Gospel,  they  will  all  resolve  and  empty  themselves  into 
this,  that  they  will  not  because  they  will  not.  Let  ministers 
say  what  they  can,  let  the  Scripture  say  what  it  will,  let  God 
himself  say  what  he  pleases,  yet  sinners  men  are,  and  sinners 
they  will  be,  in  spite  of  them  all ;  as  the  prophet  rebuking  the 
people  for  their  sins,  said,  But  thou  saidst,  There  is  no  hope : 
no,  for  I  have  loved  strangers,  and  after  them  will  I  go,  Jer.  ii. 
25.  And  so  it  is  to  this  day ;  we  tell  them  of  their  sins,  and 
the  dangerous  consequences  of  them ;  we  tell  them  that  they 
must  not  love  the  world,  but  seek  the  kingdom  of  God  and  his 
righteousness  in  the  first  place  ;  we  tell  them  from  Christ's 
own  mouth,  that  except  they  repent  and  forsake  their  sins, 
they  must  perish  ;  but  they  say  in  effect,  that  we  had  as  good 
hold  our  tongues  ;  for  they  have  loved  the  world,  and  after  it 
they  will  go  ;  they  have  found  pleasure  in  the  commission  of 
their  sins,  and  therefore  they  will  commit  them  :  Christ  calls 
them  to  come  unto  him,  and  they  know  no  reason  why  they 


call  and  election.  307 

should  not,  but  howsoever  they  will  not  come.  If  we  were 
but  once  willing,  the  work  was  done  ;  for  what  our  wills  are 
really  inclined  to,  we  cannot  but  use  the  utmost  of  our  endea- 
vour to  attain.  But  the  mischief  is,  men  read  the  Gospel, 
they  hear  Christ  calling  upon  them  to  believe  and  obey  it,  but 
their  wills  are  still  averse  from  it ;  there  is  a  kind  of  antipa- 
thy and  contrariety  within  them,  against  such  exact  and  real 
holiness  as  the  Gospel  requires  from  them.  So  that  if  they 
perish,  they  must  blame  themselves  for  it,  it  is  their  own 
choice ;  they  choose  and  prefer  their  sins  with  all  the  miseries 
which  attend  them,  before  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  with  all  the 
glory  and  happiness  which  is  offered  in  it ;  and  therefore  as 
God  said  to  his  people,  Turn  ye,  turn  ye,  for  why  will  ye  die, 
O  house  of  Israel?  Ezek.  xxxiii.  11.  so  say  I  to  these  men, 
Repent,  and  believe  the  Gospel ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  why  will 
ye  perish  eternally  ?  Have  you  any  reason  for  it  ?  none  in  the 
world  but  your  own  wills.  Christ  hath  told  you  in  plain  terms, 
Him  that  cometh  to  me,  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out,  John  vi.  37. 
But  if  you  will  not  come  unto  him,  who  can  help  that  ?  Are 
not  yourselves  only  in  the  fault  ?  Will  not  your  blood  be  upon 
your  own  heads  ?  What  could  Christ  have  done  more  for  you 
than  he  hath  done?  What  could  he  have  suffered  more  for  you 
than  he  hath  suffered  ?  How  could  he  call  you  to  him  more 
plainly  or  pathetically  than  he  doth  ?  But  if  after  all  this  you 
will  not  come  unto  him,  you  must  even  thank  yourselves  for 
all  the  torments  you  must  ere  long  suffer  and  undergo.  And 
this  is  indeed  the  case  of  the  greatest  part  of  mankind,  that 
though  they  be  called  and  invited  to  partake  of  all  the  merits 
of  Christ's  death  and  passion,  yet  they  will  not  come  unto  him. 
And  this  is  the  first  and  great  reason  why  so  many  are  called, 
and  yet  so  few  chosen,  John  v.  40. 

2.  The  second  reason  is,  because  men  do  not  really  believe 
that  they  are  invited  to  such  glorious  things  as  indeed  they  are, 
as  our  Saviour  himself  intimates  in  the  parable.  For  when 
they  who  were  bidden  would  not  come  upon  the  first  invitation, 
as  not  believing  the  message  which  those  servants  brought 
them,  the  king  sent  forth  other  servants,  saying,  Tell  them 
which  are  bidden,  Behold,  I  have  prepared  my  dinner  ;  my  oxen 
and  my  failings  are  killed,  and  all  things  are  ready ;  come  unto 
the  marriage,  Matt.  xxii.  4.  When  the  first  servants  were  not 
believed,  he  sent  others  with  fuller  instructions,  giving  them 
orders  to  acquaint  the  guests,  that  all  things  were  now  ready, 
and  to  assure  them  that  it  was  to  a  marriage-feast,  they  were 
invited.  But  it  seems,  whatsoever  the  first  or  second  servants 
could  say,  it  was  to  no  purpose  ;  they  would  not  believe  them, 


308  Thoughts  upon  our 

and  therefore  sent  them  away  as  they  came  ;  whereby  our  Sa- 
viour exactly  discovers  to  us  the  entertainment  that  his  Gospel 
always  did,  and  still  would  meet  with  in  the  world.  Before  his 
own  coming  into  the  world,  he  sent  his  prophets  to  invite  man- 
kind to  accept  of  the  terms  propounded  in  it,  and  to  call  upon 
them  to  repent  and  turn  to  God,  that  their  sins  might  be 
blotted  out,  and  their  souls  admitted  into  the  grace  and  favour 
of  Almighty  God,  and  so  partake  of  eternal  glory,  which  the 
prophets  called  men  to,  under  the  notion  of  a  feast,  a  feast 
of  fat  things,  a  feast  of  wines  on  the  lees,  of  fat  things  full 
of  marrow,  of  wines  on  the  lees  well  refined,  Isa.  xxv.  6.  which 
they  called  all  men  to,  saying,  Ho,  every  one  that  thirstetk, 
come  ye  to  the  waters,  Isa.  Iv.  1.  But  how  their  message  was 
received,  the  same  prophet  declares,  saying,  Who  hath  be- 
lieved our  report  ?  and  to  whom  is  the  arm  of  the  Lord  re- 
vealed ?  Isa.  liii.  1.  and  so  it  is  since.  For  when  the  pro- 
phets could  not  be  credited,  God  afterwards  sent  his  apostles, 
and  still  to  this  day  is  sending  servant  after  servant  to  invite  men 
to  grace  and  pardon,  to  heaven  and  eternal  happiness.  But 
we  his  ministers  may  still  say  with  the  prophet,  Who  hath  be- 
lieved our  report  ?  We  tell  men,  that  unless  they  repent  and 
turn  to  God,  iniquity  will  be  their  ruin  ;  we  tell  them  also,  that 
if  they  believe  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  they  shall  be  saved  : 
and  if  they  be  holy  here,  they  shall  be  happy  hereafter.  But 
what  signifies  our  telling  them  of  these  things,  if  they  believe 
not  what  we  say  ?  And  yet  who  doth  ?  Men  give  us  the  hear- 
ing, censure  what  they  have  heard,  and  that  is  all  the  use  they 
make  of  it,  never  really  or  firmly  believing  any  one  truth  that 
we  make  known  or  expound  unto  them  ;  and  this  being  the 
case  not  only  of  some  few,  but  of  the  greatest  part  of  mankind, 
hence  it  comes  to  pass  that  so  many  are  called  and  so  few  are 
chosen,  even  because  they  who  are  called  do  not  believe  it,  and 
so  it  is  all  one  with  them  whether  they  be  called  or  no.  Be 
sure  God  chooseth  none  but  such  as  believe  the  word  he  sends 
unto  them  ;  for,  as  the  apostle  saith,  God  hath  chosen  the  poor 
of  this  world  rich  in  faith,  James  ii.  5.  If  they  be  not  rich 
in  faith,  they  are  not  for  his  purpose  ;  and  seeing  there  are  but 
few  that  are  so,  hence  of  the  many  which  are  called,  there  are 
but  few  chosen. 

3.  Another  reason  why  of  the  many  which  are  called  there 
are  so  few  chosen,  is  because  they  have  no  real  esteem  or  value 
for  the  things  they  are  called  to  ;  as  it  is  in  the  parable,  when 
the  servants  were  sent  to  call  upon  them  to  make  haste  to  the 
feast  because  all  things  were  ready,  it  is  said  that  they  made 
light  of  it,  ver.  5.     They  did  not  think  it  worth  their  while  to 


call  and  election.  309 

go,  though  it  was  to  a  feast,  to  a  marriage-feast,  yea,  to  the 
marriage-feast  of  so  great  a  person  as  a  king's  son  ;  no,  not 
though  they  were  invited  by  the  king  himself  unto  it.  Thus 
it  was  in  ancient  times,  and  thus  it  is  still ;  the  King  of  hea- 
ven sends  to  invite  men  to  his  court,  to  lay  aside  their  filthy 
garments,  and  to  put  on  the  robes  that  he  hath  prepared  for 
them,  that  they  may  be  holy  as  he  is  holy,  and  so  live  with  him 
and  be  happy  for  ever.  But  they  make  light  of  such  things  as 
these  ;  they  can  see  no  such  beauty  in  Christ,  why  they  should 
desire  him,  no  such  excellency  in  God  himself,  why  they  should 
be  in  love  with  him  ;  and  as  for  heaven,  they  never  were  there 
yet,  and  therefore  care  not  whether  they  ever  come  there  or 
no ;  though  they  be  called,  they  matter  not  whether  they  be 
chosen  to  it  or  no  ;  and  hence  likewise  it  is  that  of  the  many 
which  are  called,  there  are  so  few  chosen. 

4.  Another  reason  is,  because  they  who  are  called  are  gene- 
rally addicted  to  the  things  of  this  life  ;  they  have  the  serpent's 
curse  upon  them,  to  feed  upon  the  dust  of  the  earth,  and  there- 
fore slight  all  the  overtures  that  are  made  them  of  heaven  and 
eternal  happiness.  As  our  Saviour  himself  intimates  in  this 
parable,  saying,  that  when  they  were  invited  they  made  light  of 
|  it,  and  went  their  way,  one  to  his  farm,  another  to  his  merchan- 
dise, ver.  5.  Thus  we  read  of  the  Pharisees,  that  they  being 
covetous,  when  they  heard  the  words  of  Christ,  they  derided 
him,  Luke  xvi.  14.  And  thus  it  is  to  this  day  ;  though  men 
be  called  to  Christ,  they  are  so  much  taken  up  with  worldly 
businesses,  that  they  can  find  no  time  to  come  unto  him  ;  but 
away  they  go  again,  one  to  his  trade,  another  to  his  merchan- 
dise. These  are  the  things  that  most  men's  minds  are  wholly 
bent  upon,  and  therefore  they  will  not  be  persuaded  to  leave 
them  to  go  to  Christ.  It  is  true,  if  he  called  them  to  great 
estates,  if  he  called  them  to  a  good  bargain,  if  he  called  them 
to  crowns  and  sceptres  in  this  world,  then  they  would  all  strive 
which  should  be  chosen  first.  But  the  things  that  he  calls  us 
to  are  quite  of  another  nature  ;  he  calls  us  to  repent  of  our 
sins,  to  believe  in  him,  to  contemn  the  world,  to  have  our  con- 
versations in  heaven.  But  these  are  things  which  men  do  not 
love  to  hear  of,  as  being  contrary  to  their  earthly  temper  and 
inclinations  ;  and  therefore  we  who  are  God's  ministers  may 
call  our  hearts  out  before  they  will  set  themselves  in  good 
earnest  to  mind  them.  Or  to  bring  it  home  still  closer  to  us, 
how  often  have  we  all  been  invited  to  that  spiritual  feast,  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  supper,  but  how  few  are  there  that 
come  unto  it,  when  the  whole  congregation  is  called  to  par- 
take of  it  ?  Scarce  one  in  twenty  think  it  worth  their  while  to 


310  Thoughts  upon  our 


stay,  to  have  their  share  in  it.  What  can  be  the  reason  of  this, 
but  that  our  minds  are  taken  up  with  other  things,  which  we 
fancy  to  be  of  far  greater  concernment  to  us  than  all  the  me- 
rits of  Christ's  death  and  passion.  And  therefore  it  is  no 
wonder  that  so  many  of  us  are  called,  and  so  few  chosen,  see- 
ing we  ourselves  choose  the  toys  and  trides  of  this  transient 
world,  before  all  those  real  joys  which  in  the  Gospel  we  are 
called  and  invited  to. 

5.  In  the  next  place,  many  of  them  which  are  called,  have 
-  .  inge  an  antipathy  to  God  and  goodness,  that  they  do  not 

only  neglect  and  slight  their  heavenly,  in  comparison  of  their 
earthly  calling,  but  they  hate  and  abuse  such  as  are  sent  to  call 
them,  as  our  Saviour  himself  intimates,  ver.  6.  O  barbarous 
cruelty  !  what  hurt,  what  injury  is  done  unto  them  f  They  are 
invited  to  a  feast,  and  for  this  they  are  ansrry,  and  kill  the  mes- 
sengers which  are  sent  to  invite  them.  Thus  it  hath  been  in 
all  ages.  This  was  the  entertainment,  this  the  requital  that 
most  of  the  prophets  received  for  the  divine  message  they 
brought  to  mankind.  Matt,  xxrii.  57.  Yea.  Christ  himself,  the 
Son  and  Heir  of  God.  was  put  to  death  tor  inviting  men  to  life 
and  happiness  :  and  so  were  his  apostles  too  :  and  so  it  is  to 
this  day.  There  is  still  a  secret  malice  and  hatred  in  men's 
hearts  against  such  as  sincerely  endeavour  to  preach  the  G 
pel  clearly  and  fully  to  them.  We  tell  them  of  their  sins,  we 
acquaint  them  with  the  danger  they  are  in.  we  call  upon  them 
to  forsake  and  avoid  them,  we  invite  them  to  Christ,  and  so  to 
heaven  and  eternal  happiness  :  and  for  this  many  of  them  are 
angry  with  us  and  incensed  against  us.  They  may  forgive  us 
this  wrong  :  I  can  assure  them  we  intend  them  no  evil,  but  all 
the  good  we  do  or  can  desire  to  our  own  souls  :  and  whatso- 
ever the  success  be.  it  is  still  our  duty  to  call  upon  them,  to 
advise  them  of  their  duty,  and  it*  possible  reclaim  them  from 
their  sins  :  and  if  they  be  angry  with  us  for  that,  as  many  are. 
they  cannot  wonder  at  our  Saviour's  saying,  that  many  are 
called,  but  fexc  chosen. 

6.  The  last  reason  which  our  Saviour  gives  in  this  parable, 
why  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen,  is  because  of  those  who 
are  called,  and  come  too  at  their  call,  many  come  not  aright ; 
which  he  signifies  by  the  man  that  came  without  his  wedding 
garment,  ver.  11.  12,  13.  where  although  he  mentions  but  one 
man.  yet  under  that  one  is  comprehended  all  of  the  same  kind, 
even  all  such  persons  as  have  the  Gospel  preached  to  them, 
and  so  are  called  and  invited  to  all  the  graces  and  privileges 
proposed  in  it,  all  such  as  profess  to  believe  in  Christ,  and  to 
expect  happiness  and  salvation  from  him,  yet  will  not  come  up 


call  and  election.  311 

to  the  terms  which  he  propounds  in  his  Gospel  to  them,  even 
to  walk  worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  they  are  called,  Eph. 
iv.  1.     And  indeed  this  is  the  great  reason  of  all  why  of  so 
many  which  are  called  there  are  so  few  chosen,  because  there 
are  so  few  which  do  all  things  which  the  Gospel  requires  of 
them.     Many  like  Herod  will  do  many  things,  Mark  vi.  20. 
and  are  almost  persuaded  to  be  Christians,  as  Agrippa  was, 
Acts  xxvi.  28.     How  zealous  are  some  for,  how  violent  are 
others  against,  the  little  ceremonies  and  circumstances  of  reli- 
gion, and  in  the  mean  while  neglect  and  let  slip  the  power  and 
substance  of  it  ?  How  demure  are  some  in  their  carriage  to- 
wards men,  but  irreverent  and  slovenly  in  the  worship  of  Al- 
mighty God  1  How  devout  would  others  seem  towards  God, 
but  are  still  careless  and  negligent  of  their  duty  towards  men  ? 
Some  are  all  for  the  duties  of  the  first  table  without  the  se- 
cond, others  for  the  second  without  the  first.     Some  are  alto- 
gether for  obedience  and  good  works,  without  faith  in  Christ ; 
others  are  as  much  for  faith  in  Christ,  without  obedience  and 
good  works.     Some  would  do  all  themselves,  as  if  Christ  had 
done  nothing  for  them  ;  others  fancy  that  Christ  hath  so  done 
all  things  for  them,  that  there  is  nothing  left  for  themselves  to 
do ;  and  so  betwixt  both  these  sorts  of  people,  which  are  the 
far  greater  part  of  those  who  are  called,  either  the  merits  or 
else  the  laws  of  Christ  are  slighted  and  contemned.     But  is 
this  the  way  to  be  saved  ?  No,  surely  :  if  I  know  any  thing  of 
the  Gospel,  it  requires  both  repentance  and  faith  in  Christ,  that 
we  perform  sincere  obedience  to  all  his  laws,  and  yet  trust  in 
him,  and  him  alone,  for  pardon,  acceptance,  and  salvation.  And 
whosoever  comes  short  of  this,  though  he  be  called,  we  may 
be  sure  he  is  not  chosen  ;  though  he  come  to  the  marriage  feast 
with  those  that  are  invited,  yet  wanting  his  wedding  garment, 
he  will  be  cast  out  again  with  shame  and  confusion  of  face. 
So  that  it  is  not  our  doing  some,  or  many,  or  most  of  the 
things  which  the  Gospel  requires,  that  will  do  our  business, 
unless  we  do  all  to  the  utmost  of  our  skill  and  power.     But 
where  shall  we  find  the  man  that  doth  so  ?  What  ground  have 
we  to  acknowledge  that  our  Saviour  had  but  too  much  cause 
to  say,  many  are  called,  but  few  chosen  ;  which  I  fear  is  but  too 
true,  not  only  of  others,  but  ourselves  too. 

I  say  not  this  to  discourage  any  one  :  no,  it  is  my  hearty 
desire  and  prayer  to  the  eternal  God,  that  every  soul  of  us 
might  be  chosen  and  saved.  But  my  great  fear  is,  that  many 
think  it  so  easy  a  matter  to  go  to  heaven,  that  if  they  do  but 
say  their  prayers,  and  hear  sermons  now  and  then,  they  can- 
not miss  of  it,  and  therefore  need  not  trouble  themselves  any 


312  Thoughts  upon  our  call  and  election. 

farther  about  it.  But  they  must  give  me  leave  to  tell  them,  that 
this  will  not  serve  their  turn  ;  if  it  would,  most  of  those  which 
are  called  would  be  chosen  too.  Whereas  our  Saviour  him- 
self tells  us,  in  plain  terms,  the  contrary.  And  yet  this  should 
be  so  far  from  discouraging  of  us,  that  it  should  rather  excite 
us  to  greater  diligence  about  it  than  heretofore  we  may  have 
used,  as  our  Saviour  himself  intimates  in  his  answer  to  this 
question,  Luke  xiii.  23,  24.  And  verily,  what  greater  encou- 
ragement can  we  have  than  to  consider,  that  though  there  be 
but  few  chosen,  yet  there  are  some  ?  For  why  may  not  you 
and  I  be  in  the  number  of  those  few  as  well  as  others  ?  Are 
not  we  all  called  to  Christ  ?  Are  not  we  all  invited,  yea,  com- 
manded to  believe  in  his  name,  and  obey  his  Gospel,  that  so  we 
may  partake  of  everlasting  glory  ?  Let  us  then  all  set  upon 
that  work  in  good  earnest,  which  we  are  called  to.  Let  us  but 
fear  God,  and  keep  his  commandments,  and  believe  in  his  Son 
for  his  acceptance  of  us,  and  then  we  need  not  fear,  but  though 
of  the  many  others  which  are  called  there  are  but  few  chosen, 
yet  we  few  who  are  all  called  shall  be  all  chosen  ;  chosen  to 
live  with  God  himself,  and  Jesus  Christ,  and  to  sing  forth  his 
praises  for  evermore. 


THOUGHTS 


THE    APPEARANCE    OF    CHRIST    THE    SUN   OF 
RIGHTEOUSNESS,  OR  THE  BEATIFIC  VISION. 


SO  long  as  we  are  in  the  body,  we  are  apt  to  be  governed 
wholly  by  its  senses,  seldom  or  never  minding  any  thing  but 
what  comes  to  us  through  one  or  other  of  them.  Though  we 
are  all  able  to  abstract  our  thoughts  when  we  please  from  mat- 
ter, and  fix  them  upon  things  that  are  purely  spiritual  ;  there 
are  but  few  that  ever  do  it.  But  few,  even  among  those  also 
that  have  such  things  revealed  to  them  by  God  himself,  and  so 
have  infinitely  more  and  firmer  ground  to  believe  them,  than 
any  one  or  all  their  senses  put  together  can  afford.  Such  are 
the  great  truths  of  the  Gospel,  for  which  we  have  the  infallible 
word  and  testimony  of  the  supreme  truth  :  yet  seeing  they  are 
not  the  objects  of  sense,  but  only  of  our  faith,  though  we  pro- 
fess to  believe  them,  yet  we  take  but  little  notice  of  them,  and 
are  usually  no  more  affected  with  them,  than  as  if  there  were 
no  such  things  in  being.  Hence  it  hath  pleased  God,  in  great 
compassion  to  our  infirmity,  not  only  to  reveal  and  make  known 
such  spiritual  things  to  us,  in  plain  and  easy  terms,  but  like- 
wise to  bring  them  as  near  as  possible  to  our  senses,  by  repre- 
senting them  to  us  under  the  names  and  characters  of  such  sen- 
sible objects  as  bear  the  greatest  resembance  to  them  ;  that 
we  who  are  led  so  much  by  our  senses,  may  by  them  also  be 
directed  how  to  apprehend  those  spiritual  objects  which  he  hath 
told  us  of,  on  purpose  that  we  may  believe  them  upon  his  word. 

Thus  he  often  useth  the  words,  hand,  eye,  and  the  like,  to 
signify  his  own  divine  perfections  to  us.  Aud  thus  it  was  that 
our  Saviour  preached  the  Gospel  to  the  people,  by  parables, 
(and  similitudes  of  things  commonly  seen  and  done  among  them- 
selves. The  prophets  also  frequently  took  the  same  course, 
as  might  be  shewn  by  many  instances  ;  but  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  is  that  in  Mai.  iv.  2.  where  the  prophet  in  the 

D  d 


314  Thoughts  upon  the 

name  of  God  speaking  of  Christ's  coming  into  the  world,  ex- 
pressed it  by  the  rising  of  the  sun,  saying,  To  you  that  fear 
my  name  shall  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arise,  with  healing  in 
his  icings. 

For  that  Jesus  Christ  is  that  Sun  of  righteousness  here  spoken 
of,  is  so  plain  from  the  context,  and  whole  design  of  the  pro- 
phet, that  I  need  not  insist  upon  the  proving  it ;  but  shall  only 
observe,  that  this  being  the  last  of  all  the  prophets  in  the  Old 
Testament,  he  shuts  up  his  own,  and  all  the  other  prophecies, 
with  a  clear  prediction  of  Christ,  and  his  forerunner  John  the 
Baptist,  whom  he  calls  F;  y.h  or  Elias  ;  and  concludes  his  pro- 
phecy with  these  words  concerning  him,  Behold,  I  will  send 
you  Elijah  the  prophet,  before  the  coming  of  the  great  and 
dreadful  day  of  the  Lord.  And  he  shall  turn  the  heart  of  the 
fathers  to  the  children,  and  the  heart  of  the  children  to  the 
fathers,  lest  I  come  and  smite  the  earth  (or  rather  the  land) 
with  a  curse,  Mai.  iv.  5,  6.  For  that  by  Elijah  is  here  meant 
John  the  Baptist,  we  are  assured  by  Christ  himself,  Matt.  xi. 
14.  And  it  is  very  observable,  that  as  this  prophet  ends  the 
Old  Testament  with  a  prediction  of  Elias,  so  St.  Luke  begins 
the  New  with  a  relation  how  John  the  Baptist  was  born,  and 
so  came  into  the  world  a  little  before  Christ,  as  the  morning- 
star  that  appeared  before  the  rising  of  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness. 

But  of  the  day  which  shall  come  at  the  rising  of  that  glorious 
Sun,  the  prophet  saith,  that  it  shall  burn  as  an  oven;  and  all 
the  proud,  yea,  and  all  that  do  wickedly,  shall  be  stubble ;  and 
the  day  that  cometh  shall  burn  them  up,  saith  the  Lord  of  hosts, 
that  it  shall  leave  them  neither  root  nor  branch,  verse  1.  It  will 
be  a  terrible  day  to  those  that  shall  obstinately  refuse  to  walk 
in  the  light  of  it ;  they  shall  be  all  consumed,  as  we  read  the 
unbelieving  Jews  were  at  the  destruction  of  Jerusalem,  that 
happened  soon  after  that  sun  was  up.  But  then  turning  him- 
self, as  it  were,  to  his  own  people,  Almighty  God  here  by  his 
prophet  cheers  and  comforts  them,  saying  to  them,  But  unto 
you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  of  righteousness  arise, 
with  healing  in  his  wings,  £$c.  He  shall  arise  to  all  ;  but  to 
the  other  with  such  a  scorching  heat  as  shall  burn  them  up  ; 
to  these  with  healing  in  his  wings,  or  rays,  so  as  not  to  hurt, 
but  heal  them  of  all  their  maladies. 

Now  that  which  I  chiefly  design,  by  God's  assistance,  to 
shew  from  these  words,  is  what  thoughts  they  suggest  to  us 
concerning  our  blessed  Saviour,  by  calling  him  the  Sun  of 
righteousness.  But  to  make  the  way  as  plain  as  I  can,  we 
must  first  consider,  to  whom  he  is  here  said  to  arise  with  heal- 


beatific  vision.  315 

ing  in  his  wings,  even  to  those  that  fear  the  name  of  God ;  i. 
e.  to  those  who  firmly  believing  in  God,  and  being  fully  per- 
suaded of  his  infinite  power,  justice,  and  mercy,  and  also  of 
the  truth  of  all  his  threats  and  promises,  stand  continually  in 
awe  of  him,  not  daring  to  do  any  thing  willingly  that  may  of- 
fend him,  nor  leave  any  thing  undone  that  he  would  have  them 
do.  Such,  and  such  only,  can  be  truly  said  to  fear  God.  And 
therefore  the  fear  of  God  in  the  Scriptures,  especially  of  the 
Old  Testament,  is  all  along  put  for  the  whole  duty  of  man. 
There  being  no  duty  that  a  man  owes,  either  to  God  or  his 
neighbour,  but  if  he  really  fears  God,  he  will  endeavour  all  he 
can  to  do  it.  But  this  necessarily  supposeth  his  belief  in  God, 
and  his  holy  word,  or  rather  proceeds  originally  from  it.  For 
he  that  cometh  unto  God,  so  as  to  fear  and  obey  him,  must  be- 
lieve that  he  is,  and  that  he  is  a  rewarder  of  them  who  diligently 
seek  him,  Heb.  xi.  6.  So  that  as  no  man  can  believe  in  God, 
but  he  must  needs  fear  him  ;  so  no  man  can  fear  God,  unless 
he  first  believes  in  him.  From  whence  it  necessarily  follows, 
that  by  those  who  are  here  said  to  fear  the  name  of  God,  we 
can  understand  no  other  but  only  such  as  are  possessed  with 
a  firm  belief  in  him,  and  with  a  full  persuasion  of  the  truth  and 
certainty  of  those  divine  revelations  that  he  hath  made  of  him- 
self, and  of  his  will  to  mankind,  and  therefore  live  accordingly. 
Of  these,  and  these  only,  it  is  here  said,  that  to  them  shall 
the  Sun  of  righteousness  arise  with  healing  in  his  wings.  Not 
to  any  other  ;  no  other  being  able  to  see  his  light,  nor  capable 
of  those  healing  influences  that  proceed  from  him.  For  though 
he  be  a  sun,  he  is  not  such  a  sun  as  we  see  with  our  bodily 
eyes  in  the  firmament,  but  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  shining  in 
the  highest  heavens,  beyond  the  reach  of  our  senses,  visible 
only  to  the  eye  of  faith,  the  evidence  of  things  not  seen.  In- 
somuch that  although  he  be  risen,  and  darts  down  his  beams 
to  this  lower  world  continually,  yet  they  who  have  not  faith, 
can  neither  see  him  nor  enjoy  any  more  benefit  by  him,  than 
as  if  he  was  not  risen,  or  did  not  shine  at  all.  As  if  a  man  be 
born  stark  blind,  though  the  sun  shines  never  so  clear  about 
him,  he  sees  no  more  than  he  did  before,  but  lives  in  the  dark 
at  noonday  as  much  as  at  midnight ;  neither  can  ye  ever  make 
him  understand  what  light  or  colours  are  ;  for  having  not  that 
sense,  by  which  alone  such  things  can  be  perceived,  he  can 
never  understand  what  you  mean  by  such  things,  so  as  to  form 
any  true  notion  of  them  in  his  mind.  So  it  is  in  our  present 
case ;  though  the  sun  of  righteousness  be  risen,  and  shines 
most  gloriously  in  the  world,  yet  being  the  object  only  of  our 
faith,  without  that  a  man  can  discern  nothing  of  him.  He  may 


316  Thoughts  upon  the 

perhaps  talk  of  him  as  a  blind  man  may  talk  of  light,  but  all  the 
while  he  knows  not  what  he  means  by  the  words  which  he 
useth  about  him.  For  he  useth  them  only  as  words  in  course, 
taken  up  from  those  he  talks  with,  without  having  any  effect 
or  operation  at  all  upon  his  mind  ;  whereas  they  who  really 
believe  God's  word,  and  what  is  there  revealed  concerning  the 
Sun  of  righteousness,  they  see  his  light,  they  feel  his  heat,  they 
experience  the  power  and  efficacy  of  his  influences  ;  and  there- 
fore, although  they  who  have  not  faith  (as  few  have)  can  be 
no  way  profited  by  what  they  shall  hear  or  read  of  him,  yet 
they  who  have,  and  act  it  upon  what  they  hear  or  read  out  of 
God's  holy  word  concerning  him,  they  will  find  their  thoughts 
and  apprehensions  of  him  cleared  up,  and  their  affections  in- 
flamed to  him  ;  so  as  to  love  and  honour  him  for  the  future, 
as  the  fountain  of  all  that  spiritual  life,  and  light,  and  joy  they 
have,  For  to  them  he  will  arise,  with  healing  in  his  wings. 

He  did  not  only  arise  once,  but  he  continually  ariseth  to 
those  who  believe  in  God,  and  fear  him.  For  thus  saith  the 
Lord,  To  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the  Sun  of Righteousness 
arise,  with  healing  in  his  wings.  It  is  true,  he  speaks  more 
especially  of  his  incarnation,  or  visible  appearance  in  the 
world ;  but  by  this  manner  of  speaking,  he  intimates  withal 
that  this  Sun  of  righteousness  is  always  shining  upon  his  faith- 
ful people,  more  or  less,  in  all  ages,  from  the  beginning  to  the 
end  of  the  world.  For  in  that  it  is  said  he  shall  arise,  it  is 
plainly  supposed  that  he  was  the  Sun  of  righteousness  before, 
and  gave  light  unto  the  world,  though  not  so  clearly  as  when 
he  was  actually  risen.  As  we  see  and  enjoy  the  light  of  the 
sun  long  before  he  riseth,  from  the  first  dawning  of  the  day, 
though  it  grows  clearer  and  clearer  all  along  as  he  comes 
nearer  and  nearer  to  his  rising  :  so  the  Sun  of  righteousness 
began  to  enlighten  the  world  as  soon  as  it  was  darkened  by 
sin  ;  the  day  then  began  to  break,  and  it  grew  lighter  and 
lighter  in  every  age.  Adam  himself  saw  something  of  this 
light,  Abraham  more ;  Abraham  rejoiced  to  see  my  day,  saith 
this  glorious  Sun  ;  he  saw  it,  and  was  glad,  John  viii.  56.  Da- 
vid and  the  prophets  after  him  saw  it  most  clearly,  especially 
this,  the  last  of  the  prophets  :  he  saw  this  Sun  in  a  manner 
rising,  so  that  he  could  tell  the  people  it  would  suddenly  get 
above  their  horizon  ;  The  Lord  whom  ye  seek,  saith  he,  shall 
suddenly  come  to  his  temple,  Mai.  iii.  1.  and  acquaints  them 
also  with  the  happy  influences  it  would  have  upon  them,  say- 
ing, in  the  name  of  God,  Unto  you  that  fear  my  name  shall  the 
Sun  of  righteousness  arise,  with  healing  in  his  wings. 

The  Sun  of  righteousness ;  that  is,  as  I  observed  before. 


beatific  vision.  317 

Jesus  Christ  the  righteous,  who  is  often  foretold  and  spoke  of 
under  the  name  and  notion  of  the  sun  or  star  that  giveth  light 
unto  the  world.  There  shall  come  a  star  out  of  Jacob,  said 
Balaam,  Numb.  xxiv.  17.  and  he  shall  be  as  the  light  of  the 
morning  when  the  Sun  riseth,  saith  David,  2  Sam.  xxiii.  4. 
And  the  prophet  Isaiah,  speaking  of  his  coming,  saith,  The 
people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light ;  and 
they  that  dwell  in  the  land  of  the  shadow  of  death,  upon  them 
hath  the  light  shined,  Isa.  ix.  2.  For  that  this  was  spoken  of 
Christ,  we  have  the  authority  of  the  Evangelist,  Matt.  iv.  16. 
To  the  same  purpose  is  that  of  the  same  prophet,  Arise,  shine, 
for  thy  light  is  come,  and  the  glory  of  the  Lord  is  risen  upon 
thee.  For,  behold,  the  darkness  shall  cover  the  earth,  and  gross 
darkness  the  people ;  but  the  Lord  shall  arise  upon  thee,  and 
his  glory  shall  be  seen  upon  thee,  Isa.  Ix.  1,  2.  The  sun  shall 
be  no  more  thy  light  by  day,  neither  for  brightness  shall  the 
moon  give  light  unto  thee.  But  the  Lord  shall  be  unto  thee  an 
everlasting  light,  and  thy  glory,  ver.  19,  20.  To  which  we 
may  add  the  many  places  where  Christ  is  called  HDV,  which 
we  translate  the  Branch.  As,  J  will  bring  forth  my  servant  the 
Branch,  Zech.  iii.  8.  Behold  the  man,  whose  name  is  the 
Branch,  chap.  vi.  12.  /  will  raise  up  to  David  a  righteous 
Branch,  Jer.  xxiii.  5.  And  a  Branch  of  righteousness,  chap, 
xxxiii.  15.  In  all  which  places  the  original  word  signifies  also 
the  rising  of  the  sun,  and  is  accordingly  rendered  by  the  LXX. 
Oriens,  not  that  part  of  heaven  where  the  sun  riseth,  but  the 
sun  itself  as  rising  there.  And  so  it  is  translated  also  both  in 
the  Syriac  and  Arabic  versions.  And  where  it  is  said,  In  that 
day  shall  the  branch  of  the  Lord  be  beautiful,  Isa.  iv.  2.  In  the 
LXX.  it  is,  God  shall  shine  forth.  In  the  Syriac,  The  rising 
of  the  Lord  shall  be  for  glory.  In  Arabic,  The  Lord  shall 
rise  as  the  sun.  And  that  this  is  the  true  sense  of  the  word 
in  all  these  places,  appears  from  the  prophecy  of  Zacharias 
the  father  of  John  the  Baptist ;  for  speaking  of  Christ's  com- 
ing, he  expresseth  it  according  to  our  translation,  by  saying, 
The  Day-spring  from  on  high  hath  visited  us,  Luke  i.  78. 
But  in  the  original  it  is  the  same  word  that  the  LXX.  use  in 
all  the  aforesaid  places,  Oriens,  the  rising  sun.  And  it  is 
much  to  be  observed,  that  all  the  said  places  of  the  prophets 
are  interpreted  of  the  Messiah  or  Christ ;  by  the  Targum  or 
Chaldee  Paraphrase,  made  by  the  ancient  Jews  themselves  ; 
for  nD¥  the  rising  sun,  is  there  translated  xrvtyn  the  Christ,  as 
if  it  was  only  another  name  for  Messiah,  the  Saviour  of  the 
world.  From  all  which  it  appears,  that  when  the  prophet  here 
calls  our  Saviour  Christ  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  he  speaks 

Dd2 


318  Thoughts  upon  the 

according  to  the  common  sense  and  practice  of  the  church  at 
that  time. 

And  verily  he  may  well  he  called  the  Sun,  both  in  respect 
of  what  he  is  in  himself,  and  in  respect  of  what  he  is  to  us. 
As  there  is  but  one  sun  in  the  firmament,  it  is  the  chief  of  all 
creatures  that  we  see  in  the  world.  There  is  nothing  upon 
earth  but  what  is  vastly  inferior  ;  the  very  stars  of  heaven  seem 
no  way  comparable  to  it  ;  it  is  the  top,  the  head,  the  glory  of 
all  visible  objects  :  in  like  manner,  as  there  is  but  one  Saviour 
in  the  world,  he  is  exalted  far  above  all  things  in  it,  not  only 
above  the  sun  itself,  but  above  all  principality,  and  power,  and 
might,  and  dominion,  and  every  name  that  is  named,  not  only 
in  this  world,  but  also  in  that  which  is  to  come.  All  things  are 
put  under  lis-  feet,  and  lie  is  given  to  be  head  over  all  things  to 
the  church,  Eph.  i.  21,  22.  The  very  angels,  authorities,  and 
powers  of  heaven,  are  all  made  subject  to  him,  1  Pet.  iii.  22. 
And  that  is  the  reason  that  he  is  said  to  be  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  because  he  is  preferred  before  and  set  over  the  whole 
creation,  next  to  the  Almighty  Creator  himself,  where  he  now 
reigns,  and  doth  whatsoever  he  pleaseth  in  heaven  and  earth. 

And  as  the  sun  is  in  itself  also  the  most  glorious,  as  well  as 
the  most  excellent  creature  we  see,  of  such  transcendent  beauty, 
splendor,  and  dory,  that  we  cannot  look  stedfastly  upon  it,  but 
our  eyes  are  presently  dazzled  ;  so  is  Christ,  the  Sun  of  right- 
eousness:  when  he  was  transfigured,  his  face  did  shine  as  the 
sun,  Matt.  xvii.  2.  When  St.  John  had  a  glimpse  of  him,  he 
saw  his  countenance  as  the  sun  that  shineth  in  his  strength,  Rev. 
i.  16.  When  he  appeared  to  St.  Paul  going  to  Damascus  at 
mid-day,  there  was  a  light  above  the  brightness  of  the  sun  shin- 
ing round  about  him,  and  them  that  journeyed  with  him,  Acts 
xxvi.  Y6.  And  it  is  no  wonder,  for  he  is  the  brightness  of  the 
Father's  glory,  and  the  express  image  of  his  person,  Heb.  i. 
3.  and  therefore  must  needs  shine  more  gloriously  than  it  is 
possible  for  any  mere  creature  to  do  ;  his  very  body,  by  rea- 
son of  its  union  to  the  divine  person,  is  a  glorious  body,  Phil, 
iii.  21.  The  most  glorious  doubtless  of  ail  the  bodies  in  the 
world,  as  far  exceeding  the  sun,  as  that  doth  a  clod  of  earth  ; 
insomuch,  that  could  we  look  upon  our  Lord  as  he  now  shines 
forth  in  ail  his  ^lory  in  the  highest  heavens,  how  would  our 
eyes  be  e'nzrded  ?  our  whole  souls  amazed  and  confounded  at 
his  excellent  glory  ?  The  sun  would  appear  to  us  no  other- 
wise than  as  the  moon  and  stars  do,  when  the  sun  is  up.  And 
he  that  so  far  excels  the  sun  in  that  very  property,  v,  herein  the 
sun  excels  all  other  things,  may  well  be  called  the  sun  :  the 
sun  by  way  of  preeminence,  the  most  glorious  sun  in  the 


beatific  vision.  319 

world,  ill  comparison  whereof  nothing  else  deserves  to  be 
called  by  that  name.     Neither  may  our  blessed   Saviour  be 
justly  called  by  this  glorious  name  only  for  what  he  is  in  him- 
self, but  likewise  from  what  he  doth  for  us  ;   as  may  be  easily 
demonstrated  from  all  the  benefits  that  we  receive  from  the 
sun.     I  shall  instance  in  some  of  the  most  plain  and  obvious. 
First  therefore,  the  sun  we  know  is  the  fountain  of  all  the 
light  that  we  have  upon  earth,  without  which  we  could  see  no- 
thing, not  so  much  as  the  way  that  is  before  us,  but  should  be 
always  groping  and  stumbling  in  the  dark,  whereas  by  it  we 
can  discern  every  thing  that  is  about  us,  or  at  any  distance 
from  us,  as  far  as  our  sight  can  reach.     In  which  respect  our 
blessed  Lord  is  the  sun  indeed  ;    The  light  of  the  world,  John 
viii.  12.      The  true  light  that  lighteneth  every  one  that  cometk 
into  the  world,  c.  i.  9.     A  light  to  lighten  the  Gentiles,  and  the 
glory  of  his  people  Israel,  Luke  ii.  32.     A  marvellous  light, 
I  Pet.  ii.  9.      Whereby  we  can  see  things  that  are  not  visible 
to  the  eye,  as  plainly  as  we  do  those  that  are.     For  this  Day- 
spring  from  on  high,  this  Sun  of  righteousness,  hath  visited  us, 
to  give  light  to  them  that  sit  in  darkness  and  in  the  shadow  of 
death,  and  to  guide  our  feet  into  the  way  of  peace,  Luke  i.  78, 
79.     To  shew  us  the  invisible  things  of  God,  and  direct  us  to 
all  things  belonging  to  our  everlasting  peace  and  happiness. 
He  hath  made  them  all  clear  and  manifest  to  us  in  his  Gos- 
pel.    But  whatsoever  makcth  manifest  is  light,  Eph.  v.  13. 
Wherefore  he  is  said  to  have  brought  life  and  immortality  to 
light  through  the  Gospel,  2  Tim.  i.  10.     Because  he  hath  there 
so  clearly  revealed  them  to  us,  that  by  the  light  of  his  holy 
Gospel  we  may  see  all  things  necessary  to  be  known,  believed, 
or  done,  in  order  to  eternal  life,  as  plainly  as  we  can  see  the 
most  visible  objects  at  noon-day. 

By  this  light  we  can  see  as  much  of  the  glory  of  God  him- 
self, as  our  mortal  nature  can  bear.  For  no  man  hath  seen  God 
at  any  time ;  the  only-begotten  Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of 
the  Father,  he  hath  declared  him,  John  i.  18.  Neither  knoweth 
any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he  to  whomsoever  the  Son 
will  reveal  him,  Matt.  xi.  27.  So  that  no  man  ever  had  or 
can  have  any  right  knowledge  of  the  true  God,  but  only  by 
his  Son  our  Saviour  Christ.  But  by  this  means,  they  that  lived 
before  might  see  him  as  by  twilight ;  we  who  live  after  this  sun 
is  risen,  may  see  him  by  the  clearest  light  that  can  be  given 
of  him,  for  he  hath  fully  revealed  and  declared  him  to  us  in 
the  Gospel. 

By  this  glorious  light  we  can  see  into  the  mystery  of  the 
eternal  Trinity  in  unity,  so  as  to  believe  that  God  the  Father, 


320  Thoughts  upon  the 

Son,  and  Holy  Ghost  are  one,  one  Jehovah,  one  God.  That 
God  the  Father  made  all  things  at  the  first  by  his  word,  and 
still  upholds  and  orders  all  things  according  to  his  will.  That 
God  the  Son  was  made  flesh,  became  man,  and  as  such  died 
upon  the  cross,  and  so  offered  up  himself  as  a  sacrifice  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world  ;  that  he  rose  again,  went  up  to  hea- 
ven, and  is  now  there  at  the  right  hand  of  God  ;  that  upon 
our  repentance  and  faith  in  him,  our  sins  are  all  pardoned,  and 
he  that  made  us  is  reconciled  to  us  by  the  merits  of  his  said 
death ;  that  by  the  power  of  his  intercession  which  he  now 
makes  in  heaven  for  us,  we  are  justified  or  accounted  righteous 
in  him,  before  his,  and  in  him  our  almighty  Father  ;  that  God 
the  Holy  Ghost  abides  continually  with  his  church,  moving 
upon,  actuating  and  influencing  the  means  of  grace  that  are 
there  administered  ;  that  he  sanctifies  all  that  believe  in  Christ, 
leads  them  into  all  truth,  comforts  them  in  all  their  troubles, 
and  assists  them  in  doing  whatsoever  is  required  of  them. 
These  and  many  such  great  and  necessary  truths,  as  lay  in  a 
great  measure  hid  before,  are  now,  by  the  light  of  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  shining  in  his  Gospel,  made  so  plain  and  evi- 
dent, that  all  may  see  them,  except  they  wilfully  shut  their 
eyes,  or  turn  their  backs  upon  them. 

And  though  the  sun  in  the  firmament  enlightens  only  the  air, 
to  make  it  a  fit  medium  through  which  to  see  ;  this  glorious 
light  that  comes  from  the  Sun  of  righteousness  enlightens 
men's  minds  too,  and  opens  their  eyes,  to  behold  the  wondrous 
things  that  are  revealed  in  the  law  of  God,  Psal.  cxix.  18.  And 
that  too  so  effectually  in  some,  that  they  likewise  are  able  to  en- 
lighten ethers,  to  open  their  eyes,  and  turn  them  from  dark- 
ness to  light,  Acts  xxvi.  18.  Insomuch  that  they  also  are  the 
light  of  the  world,  Matt.  v.  14.  not  originally  in  themselves, 
but  by  communication  from  him,  as  the  moon  is  first  enlight- 
ened by  the  sun,  and  then  reflects  its  light  to  the  earth. 

Moreover,  the  sun  is  the  first  cause  under  God,  not  only  of 
light,  but  also  of  all  the  life  that  is  in  any  creature  upon  earth, 
without  which  nothing  could  live,  no,  not  so  much  as  a  vege- 
table, much  less  an  animal  life  ;  for  that  which  we  call  life, 
wherewith  such  creatures  as  have  organs  fitted  for  it  are  ac- 
tuated and  quickened,  so  as  to  be  said  properly  to  live,  it  all 
depends  upon  the  heat  and  influences  of  the  sun  ;  should  the 
sun  once  cease  to  be,  or  to  influence  the  world,  all  living  crea- 
tures would  immediately  expire  and  die.  So  is  Christ  the  Sun 
of  righteousness  the  fountain  of  all  spiritual  life.  In  thee,  saith 
David,  is  the  fountain  of  life ;  in  thy  light  we  shall  see  light, 
Psal.  xxxvi.  9.     Where  we  shall  see  that  light  and  life  in  this 


beatific  vision.  321 

sense  also  go  together ;  they  both  proceed  from  the  same 
fountain,  the  Sun  of  righteousness  ;  who  therefore  saith,  J  am 
the  light  of  the  world ;  he  that  followeth  me  shall  not  walk  in 
darkness,  but  shall  have  the  light  of  life,  John  viii.  12.  that 
light  which  hath  life  always  proceeding  from  it,  and  accom- 
panying it ;  so  that  he  is  both  light  and  life  itself.  J  am,  saith 
he,  the  ivay,  the  truth,  and  the  Vfe,  John  xiv.  6.  And  our 
life,  as  the  apostle  calls  him,  Col.  iii.  4.  even  the  life  of  all 
that  believe  in  him.  The  Vfe  that  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  saith 
the  same  apostle,  /  live  by  the  faith  of  the  Son  of  God,  Gal. 
ii.  20.  And  therefore  he  who  believeth,  and  so  hath  the  Son,  he 
hath  life ;  and  he  that  hath  not  the  Son,  hath  not  life,  1  John 
v.  12. 

From  all  which  it  appears,  that  all  men  by  nature  are  dead 
in  trespasses  and  sins,  Eph.  ii.  1 .  But  when  any  arise  from  the 
dead  by  faith,  it  is  Christ  that  gives  them  life,  chap.  v.  14. 
Who  come  into  the  world  on  jjurjwse  that  they  might  have  life, 
and  that  they  might  have  it  more  abundantly,  John  x.  10.  more 
abundantly,  that  is,  in  the  highest  and  most  excellent  manner 
that  it  is  possible  for  men  to  live.  For  this  life  which  the  Sun  of 
righteousness  raiseth  believers  to  is  the  life  of  righteousness, 
an  holy,  an  heavenly,  a  spiritual,  divine  life  ;  it  is  the  life  of 
faith,  whereby  they  live  to  other  purposes,  and  in  a  quite  dif- 
ferent manner  from  other  men  ;  they  live  to  God,  and  not  unto 
the  world  ;  they  live  in  a  constant  dependence  upon  him,  and 
submission  to  him  ;  they  live  in  a  firm  belief  of  his  word,  and 
sincere  obedience  to  his  laws  ;  they  live  altogether  in  his  ser- 
vice, so  that  whether  they  eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  they  do, 
they  still  do  it  to  the  glory  of  God,  1  Cor.  x.  3 1 .  In  short, 
they  strive  all  they  can  to  do  the  will  of  God  upon  earth,  as 
the  holy  angels  do  it  it  heaven,  and  so  have  their  conversation 
there,  where  their  Saviour  and  their  treasure  is. 

But  this  life  is  infused  into  them  only  by  the  rays  of  the  Sun 
of  righteousness,  by  that  Holy  Spirit  which  proceedeth  from 
Christ,  whereby  they  being  born  again,  and  made  the  children 
of  light,  thus  walk  in  newness  of  life  ;  and  so  it  is  nourished 
also,  preserved,  and  strengthened  only  by  him,  who  therefore 
calls  himself  the  bread  of  life,  John  vi.  35,  48.  And  the  bread 
of  God,  which  cometh  from  heaven,  and  giveth  life  unto  the 
world,  33.  the  living  bread,  of  which  if  any  man  eat,  he  shall 
live  for  ever,  51.  And  this  bread  which  he  gives  is  his 
flesh,  which  he  gave  for  the  life  of  the  icorld,  ibid.  For  his 
\  flesh  is  meat  indeed,  and  his  blood  is  drink  indeed ;  so  that 
\  whoso  eateth  his  flesh  and  drinketh  his  blood  hath  eternal  life, 
and  he  will  raise  him  un  at  the  last  day,  that  he  may  live  for 


322  Thoughts  upon  the 

ever,  v.  54,  55,  57.  For  Christ  is  the  resurrection  and  the  life; 
whosoever  believeth  in  him,  though  he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he 
live ;  and  whosoever  liveth  and  believeth  in  him  shall  never  die, 
c.  xi.  25,  26.  Though  his  body  may  die,  yet  not  his  soul. 
And  his  body  also  at  the  last  day  shall  be  raised  again  to  life, 
by  the  power  of  this  glorious  Sun.  For  as  in  Adam  all  die, 
even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be  made  alive,   1  Cor.  xv.  22. 

Seeing  therefore  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  fountain  of  the  life 
of  righteousness,  tlvj  Author  of  that  spiritual  and  eternal  life 
which  the  righteous  live  ;  as  the  Sun  is  of  our  natural,  he  also 
may  most  properly  be  called  the  Sun,  and  the  Sun  of  righte- 
ousness, as  he  is  in  the  words  before  us.  And  so  he  may  be 
likewise  from  his  cheering  and  refreshing  our  spirits  in  the  in- 
ward man,  as  the  sun  doth  in  the  outward.  The  light  of  the 
eyes,  saith  the  wise  man,  rejoiccth  the  heart,  Prov.  xv.  30.^ 
And  truly  the  light  is  sweet,  and  a  pleasant  th  ing  it  is  for  the  eyes 
to  behold  the  Sun,  Eccles.  xi.  7.  This  we  all  find  by  daily  ex- 
perience, and  so  we  do  too,  that  the  light  and  heat  of  the  sun 
agitate  or  move  our  animal  spirits  in  so  benign  and  delicate  a 
manner,  that  we  are  always  more  cheerful  and  pleasant  when 
the  sun  shines  clearly,  than  we  are  in  a  dark  night  or  cloudy 
day.  But  in  this  the  Sun  of  righteousness  infinitely  exceeds 
the  other,  for  he  is  the  fountain  not  only  of  some,  but  of  all 
the  true  joy  and  comfort  that  his  faithful  people  have  or  ever 
can  have  in  the  world.  It  all  proceeds  from  him,  whom  having 
not  seen  they  love,  in  whom,  though  now  they  see  him  not, 
yet  believing  they  rejoice  with  joy  unspeakable,  and  full  of  glo- 
ry, 1  Peter  i.  8.  For  upon  their  believing  in  him,  as  having 
been  delivered  for  their  offences,  and  raised  again  for  their 
justification,  he  manifesteth  himself  and  his  special  love  and 
favour  to  them,  in  the  pardon  of  their  sins,  and  their  recon- 
ciliation to  Almighty  God,  whereby  their  souls  are  filled,  not 
only  with  unspeakable,  but  glorious  joy,  of  the  same  nature 
with  that  which  the  glorified  saints  in  heaven  are  continually 
transported  with.  This  is  that  which  is  called  the  lifting  up 
the  light  of  God's  countenance,  and  his  causing  his  face  to 
shine  upon  them,  Psalm  iv.  6.  lxvii.  1.  lxxx.  3.  Numb.  vi.  25. 
When  the  Sun  of  righteousness  thus  shineth  upon  them,  re- 
freshing and  comforting  their  hearts,  by  the  sweet  influences 
of  that  Holy  Spirit  that  proceedeth  from  him. 

But  the  Sun  doth  not  only  refresh  the  earth,  but  makes  it 
fruitful ;  it  is  by  his  means,  under  God,  that  plants  grow  and 
bring  forth  fruit,  and  that  animals  do  the  respective  works  of 
which  God  hath  set  them.  So  is  Christ  the  cause  or  author 
of  all  the  good  or  righteous  works  that  are  done  in  the  world; 


beatific  vision.  323 

he  himself  saith,  without  me  you  can  do  nothing,  John  xv.  5. 
And  his  apostle  could  say  upon  his  own  experience,  /  can  do 
all  tilings  through  Christ  which  strengthened  me,  Phil.  iv.  13. 
And  that  the  fruits,  all  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  are  by  Je- 
sus Christ,  or  come  from  him,  chap.  i.  11.  who  therefore  in 
this  respect  also  may  well  be  termed  the  Sun  of  righteousness. 

To  which  we  may  likewise  add,  that  as  the  works  which 
God  hath  made  upon  earth  by  his  power,  although  they  have 
no  light  in  themselves  whereby  they  can  be  seen,  yet  they  ap- 
pear in  all  their  beauty  and  colours  by  the  sun  reflecting  his 
light  upon  them  ;  so  the  works  which  his  servants  do,  by  his 
assistance  and  grace,  although  they  have  no  real  worth,  nor  are 
exactly  righteous  in  themselves,  yet  by  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness reflecting  his  righteousness  upon  them,  they  seem  or  are 
accounted  righteous  in  the  sight  of  God,  or  as  St.  Peter  speaks, 
they  are  acceptable  to  God  by  Jesus  Christ,  1  Peter  ii.  5.  with- 
out whom  therefore  there  could  be  no  such  thing  as  righteous- 
ness seen  upon  earth,  no  more  than  there  could  be  colours 
without  light.  But  as  by  one  man's  disobedience  many  were 
made  sinners,  so  by  the  obedience  of  one  many  are  made  right- 
eous, Rom.  v.  19.  both  sincerely  righteous  in  themselves,  and 
accepted  of  as  righteous  before  God,  by  his  righteousness  im- 
puted to  them.  So  that  all  righteousness,  both  as  it  is  per- 
formed by  men,  and  as  it  is  approved  of  by  God,  comes  only 
from  Jesus  Christ.  And  this  seems  to  be  the  great  reason 
wherefore  he  is  here  called  in  a  peculiar  manner  the  Sun  of  righte- 
ousness, and  promised  to  arise  to  his  faithful  people  with  heal- 
ing in  his  wings,  that  they  may  grow  up  as  calves  in  the  stalls; 
to  show  that  it  is  by  him  only  that  they  are  healed  of  their  in- 
firmities, and  restored  to  a  sound  mind,  so  as  to  grow  in  grace, 
and  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  righteousness,  such  righteousness 
as  by  him  is  acceptable  to  God,  from  whom  they  shall  there- 
fore at  the  last  day  receive  the  crown  of  righteousness,  that 
crown  which  this  Sun  of  righteousness  hath  procured  for  them. 

Upon  these,  among  many  other  accounts,  Jesus  Christ  the 
Saviour  of  mankind  may  truly  be  called  the  Sun  of  righteous- 
ness, as  he  is  here  by  the  Spirit  of  truth  itself,  for  our  admoni- 
tion and  comfort.  For  hereby  we  are  put  in  mind  how  to 
think  of  our  blessed  Saviour,  and  to  exercise  our  faith  in  him, 
so  as  to  love  and  honour  him  with  all  our  hearts,  and  to  put 
our  whole  trust  and  confidence  in  him  for  all  things  necessary 
to  our  eternal  salvation.  Forasmuch  as  we  are  by  this  means 
given  to  understand,  that  what  the  sun  is  to  this  lower  world, 
|  the  same  is  Christ  to  his  church.  But  the  sun,  as  we  have 
heard,  is  the  most  excellent,  and  most  glorious  thing  that  we 


324  Thoughts  upon  the 

see  in  the  world.  It  is  the  next  cause,  under  God,  of  all  the 
light  that  is  in  the  air,  and  of  all  the  life  that  any  creatures  live 
upon  the  earth.  It  is  that  which  refreshetb  the  earth,  and 
makes  it  fruitful,  ft  is  that  also  which  gives  a  lustre  to  all 
things  that  are  about  us,  so  as  to  make  them  pleasing  and  de- 
lightful to  the  eye. 

And  accordingly,  whensoever  I  think  of  my  blessed  Saviour, 
the  Sun  of  righteousness,  I  apprehend,  or  rather  by  the  eye  of 
faith  I  behold  him  in  the  highest  heavens,  there  shining  in 
glory  and  splendor  infinitely  great o  th;  n  any  mortal  eye  can 
bear,  invested  with  supreme  majesty,  honour,  and  authority 
over  the  whole  creation.  I  behold  him  there  .surrounded  with 
an  innumerable  companv  of  holy  angels,  as  so  many  fixed  stars, 
and  of  glorified  saints  as  planets  cnlj^htened  by  him  ;  ah  his  sa- 
tellites or  servants  waiting  upon  him,  ready  upon  all  occasions 
reflect  and  convey  his  benign  influ<  nces  or  favours  to  his  peo- 
ple upon  earth.  I  see  him  yonder  by  his  own  light  ;  I  behold 
him  displaying  his  bright  beams,  and  diffusing  his  light  round 
about,  over  his  whole  church,  both  that  which  is  triumphant 
in  heaven,  and  that  which  is  militant  here  on  earth  ;  that  all 
the  members  of  it  may  see  all  things  belonging  to  their  peace. 
I  behold  him  continually  sending  down  his  qiickening  Spirit 
upon  those  who  are  baptized  into,  and  believe  in  his  holy  name, 
to  regenerate  them,  to  be  a  standing  principle  of  a  new  and 
divine  life  in  them.  I  behold  him  there  manifesting  himself, 
and  causing  his  face  to  shine  upon  those  who  look  up  to  him, 
so  as  to  refresh  and  cheer  their  spirits,  to  make  them  brisk  and 
lively,  and  able  to  run  with  patience  the  race  that  is  set  before 
them.  1  behold  him  there  continually  issuing  forth  his  Holy 
Spirit,  to  actuate  and  influence  the  administration  of  his  word 
and  sacraments ;  that  all  who  duly  receive  them  may  thereby 
grow  in  grace,  and  be  fruitful  in  every  good  word  and  work. 
I  behold  the  Sun  of  righteousness  shining  with  so  much  power 
and  efficacy  upon  his  church,  that  all  the  good  woiks  which 
are  done  in  it,  though  imperfect  in  themselves,  do,  notwith- 
standing, appear  through  him  as  good  and  righteous  in  the 
sight  of  God  himself,  and  are  accordingly  rewarded  by  him. 
In  short,  as  the  sun  was  made  to  rule  and  govern  the  day,  so 
I  behold  the  Sun  of  righteousness  as  governing  his  church, 
and  ordering  all  things  both  within  it  and  without  it,  so  as  to 
make  them  work  together  for  the  good  of  those  who  love  God, 
till  he  hath  brought  them  all  to  himself,  to  live  with  him  in  the 
highest  heavens,  where  they  also  shall  by  his  means,  shine 
forth  as  the  sun  in  the  kingdom  of  their  Father  for  ever,  Matt, 
xiii.  43. 


beatific  vision.  325 

Could  we  keep  these  and  such  like  thoughts  of  our  blessed 
Saviour  always  fresh  in  our  minds,  could  we  be  always  thus 
looking  upon  him,  as  the  Sun  of  righteousness  shining  con- 
tinually upon  us  and  his  whole  church,  what  holy,  what  hea- 
venly, what  comfortable  lives  should  we  then  lead  ?  We  should 
then  despise  the  pomps  and  vanities  of  this  wicked  world  as 
nothing,  as  less  than  nothing,  in  comparison  of  this  most  glo- 
rious Sun  and  his  righteousness.  We  should  then,  with  St. 
Paul,  count  all  things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowledge 
of  Jesus  Christ  our  Lord ;  and  should  count  them  but  dung,  that 
we  may  win  Christ,  and  be  found  in  him,  not  having  our  own 
righteousness  which  is  of  the  law,  but  that  which  is  through  the 
faith  of  Christ,  the  righteousness  which  is  of  God  by  faith, 
Phil.  hi.  8,  9.  We  should  then  leave  gazing  upon  the  tri- 
fles of  this  lower  world,  and  should  be  always  looking  up  to 
this  Sun  of  righteousness,  so  as  to  be  enlightened  by  him, 
Psal.  xxxiv.  5.  with  such  a  light  as  will  discover  to  us  the  glo- 
ries of  the  other  world,  together  with  the  way  that  leads  to  it. 

We  should  then  abhor  and  detest  the  works  of  darkness, 
and  walk  as  the  children  of  light,  and  accordingly  shine  as 
lights  in  the  world.  And  then  we  should  have  the  light  of 
God's  countenance  shining  continually  upon  us,  enlightening, 
enlivening,  and  refreshing  our  whole  souls,  and  purifying  both 
our  hearts  and  lives,  so  as  to  make  us  meet  to  be  partakers  of 
the  inheritance  of  the  saints  in  light ;  in  that  everlasting  light 
which  comes  from  the  Sun  of  righteousness,  who  liveth  and 
reigneth,  and  shineth  with  the  Father  and  the  Holy  Ghost,  one 
God,  blessed  for  ever. 


FINIS. 


E  e 


CONTENTS 

OF  THE 

RELIGIOUS  MAGAZINE, 

VOLUMES  1.  &  II. 
[FOR  THE  YEAR  1828.] 


Didactic  and  Miscellaneous. 

A  Sabbath  in  the  Country. 

On  the  Causes  which  increase  the  Pre- 
judices of  worldly  Men  against  Re- 
ligion. 

Amusements. 

Meditation. 

Conversation. 

Difficulties  in  ascertaining  the  Charac- 
ter of  Young  Women,  &c. 

Inconsistencies  in  the  Conduct  of 
Christians. 

On  the  Coming  of  the  Son  of  Man. 

Religious  Society  and  Conversation. 

Fearful  Constitution  of  Man. 

Natural  History  connected  with  Re- 
ligion. 

Religious  Biography. 

True  and  false  Repose  in  Death. 

Principles  more  important  than  Im- 
pulses and  Feelings. 

Mistaken  Saint. 

Elijah's  Journey. 

Dreams  and  spiritual  Agency. 

Self-Consecration. 

Parental  Admonitions. 

On  the  devotional  reading  of  the  Holy 
Scriptures. 

Christian  Solace  in  the  Time  of  Trial. 

Mystery  of  Godliness. 

A  few  Rules  for  Practice. 

Character  and  Misery  of  an  irreligious 
Youth. 

Fund  for  the  Relief  of  the  Waldenses. 

Error  of  Balaam. 

On  the  Existence  of  God. 

On  the  devotional  reading  of  the  pro 
phetic  Scrip'ures. 

Directions  for  reconciling  Differences 
among  Friends. 

Advantages  of  Sunday  Schools  to   the'Conversion  of  a  Budhist  Priest, 


Teachers, 

Rules  for  a  profitable  Sabbath, 

Importance  of  Trifles. 

Wisdom  and  Knowledge  the  Sources 
of  Grief. 

Advantages  of  an  Acquaintance  with 
the  Evidences  of  Revelation. 

On  Sincerity. 

Reflections  on  the  Death  of  a  Friend 

Standard  and  Test  of  ti  ue  Piety. 

The  angelic  World. 

Thoughs    on    Deism,  and    What 
Truth  ? 

Millennial  Reign  of  Christ. 

Knowledge  and  intellectual  Habits 
considered  in  Relation  to  Human 
Life. 

The  last  Journey. 

Self  Examination. 

Preaching  the  Gospel. 

Conversion  of  St.  Paul. 

Adula'ion  and  Calumny. 

Christians  are  S  ewards. 

Christian  Ehics. 

Christian  Churches  should  be  more 
missionary. 

Perverse  Disputings. 

The  Old  Maid. 

Of  the  Olympic  Games. 

Heathen  Fortitude  and  Christian  Mag- 
nanimity. 

The  irreparable  Loss. 

Fidelity  to'heDving. 

Letter  of  Mr.  De  Cnurcy. 

Christiani'y  essentially  missionary. 

"  Cui  Bono"  Men. 

Last  Hours  of  condemned  Felons. 

Grace  of  Humility. 

Simplicity. 

Motives  to  the  Study  of  the  Holy  Scrip- 
tures. 

Christian  Missions. 

The  Avenger  Btai  ed. 

Man  the  Image  of  he  Deity. 

Some  Evidences  of  Grace. 


Pride. 

Self-Knowledge. 

The  Water  of  Life. 

Greatness  of  God. 

Salvation. 

Reflections  on  Scott's  Life  of  Napoleon. 

Last  Days  of  Bonaparte. 

Commit  thy  Way  unto  the  Lord. 

Letters  to  the  Young. 

Effects  of  physical  Temperament  on 

religious  Expression. 
Thanksgiving. 
Poetry. 

It  is  not  a  needless  Alarm. 
Spirituality  of  the  present  Dispensation. 
The  Bible  and  Lord  Byron. 
Moral  Character  of  Christ. 
The  Heavenly  Inheritance. 
Sober-Mindedness. 
Decision  of  Character. 
Evidence  arising  from  Prophecy. 
Recognition  of    departed  Souls   in  a 

separate  State. 

Historical  and  Narrative. 

Albigenses. 

Reformation  in  Ireland. 

Religion  in  Germany. 

Christianity  in  Calcutta. 

Protestants    and  Roman  Catholics   in 

Austria. 
Roman  Catholic  Church  in  England, 

present  State  of. 
Japanese  Books. 
Education  in  Ireland. 
Religious  Communities  in  Europe. 
Jews  in  Russia. 
Missions  in  Southern  Africa. 
Robert  Taylor's  Trial  and  Conviction. 
A  seasonable  Supply. 


Oriental  Cruelty,  Apathv,  and  Brutal- 
ity. 

Ruins  of  Babylon. 

Popery  on  the  Continent. 

Population  of  the  Earth,  according  to 
us  different  Religions. 

Religion,   Literature,  and  Philosophy 
of  the  Mahometans. 

Progress  of  Education  in  Europe. 

Survey  of  Christianity  in  the  Inland 
Seas. 

Irish  Reformation. 

Remarkable  Jewish  Sect. 

Ravages  of  Locusts. 

A  Visit  to    the  Seven  Churches    of 
Asia. 

Thomson's  Letters  from  South  Ame- 
rica. 

The  Celtic  Druids. 

Gipsies  in  England. 

Locusts. 

Superstitions  of  India. 

Religion  of  the  Indians. 

Protestantism  in  Bohemia. 

French  Protestants  and  Jesuits. 

Ca'holic  Clergy  of  France. 

Moral  Statistics  of  the  Highlands  and 
Islands  of  Scotland. 

African  Bushmen. 

Letters  from  Italy, 
ussia — Petersburgh. 

Ramble  among  the  Mountains  of  Scot- 
land. 

The  Druids. 

Fall  of  Popery  and  Mahommedanism 
not  just  at  hand. 

Declaration  to  the  Lutheran  Churches . 

Gipsy  Camp. 

Babylon  Des'royed. 

Clapperton  and'Laing. 

Bartholomew  Massacre. 

Converted  Gipsies. 

Walsh's  Travels  in  Transylvania, 
isious  and  Benevolent  Societies. 

Indian  Suttees. 


Sabbath  Schools  of  yore. 

Mrs.  Ki  I  ham's  Visit  to  Sierra  Leone. 

Twenty-fourth  Report  of  the  British 

and  Foreign  Bible  Society. 
Present  State  of  the  Jews. 
Religion  of  the  ancient  Britons. 

Biblical. 
Prophecies  of  Scripture  relative  to  the 

Mahometans. 
Internal  Evidence  of   revealed  Bel. 

gion. 
Daniel's  historical  Prophecies. 
Mosaic  and  other  ancient  Accounts  of 

Leprosy. 
IlHistraiions  of  Scripture. 
Calendarium  Palestmae. 
State  of  Society  before  the  Deluge. 
Biblical  Illustrations. 
Cain. 
Offence  of  David   in  numbering  the 

People. 
Evangelists  and  Josephus. 
Accuracy  of  the  sacred  Writers. 
Scripture  Natural  History. 
Imprisonment  and  Deliverance  of 


Offering  up  of  Isaac. 
Hebrew  Government. 
Divine  Legation  of  Moses. 
Prophetic  Description  of  Modern  Infi 

dels. 
Prophecy  of  Balaam. 
Scripture  Facts  and  Pagan  Antiquities. 
Anecdote. 
Autograph  of  Ezra. 
Oriental  Fragments. 
Primeval  Curse. 
Flaming  Sword. 
First  Fruits. 
Sacred  Geography. 
Hebrew  Bible. 
Critical  Remarks. 
Prophetic  Scriptures. 

Biographical. 
Mrs.  Maria  Cilder. 
John  Mason  Good. 
Baron  de  Stael. 
Legh  Richmond. 
Martin  Bos. 
Robert  Hall. 
John  Frederick  Oberlin. 
Rev.  Robert  Pollock. 
John  Mason  Good. 
Robert  Raikes,  Esq. 
Dr.  Johnson's  religious  Character. 
Rev.  Dr.  Parr. 
Robert  Montgomery. 
Legh  Richmond. 
Rev.  Joseph  Wolff. 
James  Montgomery. 
Robert  Greathead. 
Zuinglius. 


Reviews. 
Scott's  History  of  the  Church  of  Christ 
Confessions  of  a  Gamester. 
Memoirs  of  Urquhart. 
Hogg's  Economy  of  Grace. 
Heber's  Hymns. 
Pelican  Island. 
Idolatry,  a  Poem. 
Hewitt's  Desolation  of  Eyam. 
Thomson's  Letters  on  South  America. 
Pollock's  Course  of  Time. 
Biblical   Researches   and  Travels    ir 

Russia. 
M'Crie's  Reformation  in  Italy. 
Jay's  Christian  contemplated. 
Dealtry's  Sen    ins. 
Monthly  Lectures  on  the  Evidences  of 

Revelation. 
Teinkowski's  Russian  Mission. 
Townley's  Reasons   of    the  Laws  of 

Moses. 
Taylor  on  Transmission    of   ancient 

Books. 
Fincher's  Achievements  of  Prayer. 
Faber  on  the  Origin  of  expiatory  Sac 

rifice. 
Burder's  Village  Sermons. 
March's  Early  Life  of  Christ. 
Montgomery,  as  a  sacred  Poet 


Hug's  Introduction  to  the  New  Testa- 
ment. 

Hampden's  Philosophical  Evidence  of 
Christianity. 

Slater's  rural  Pictures  and  miscellane- 
ous Poems. 

Morell's  Elements  of  the  History  of 
Philosophy  and  Science. 

Taylor's  Elements  of  Thought. 

Dawson's  Christian  Astronomer. 

Henderson's  Biblical  Criticism. 

Cecil's  Remains. 

Montgomery's  Omnipresence  of  the 
Deity. 

English  Harmony  of  the  Four  Evange- 


Comprehensive  Bible. 

The  Antidote;  or  Memoirs  of  a  modern 

Freethinker. 
Connexion  of  Christianity  with  human 

Happiness. 
Graham's  Practical    Sermons  on   the 

Ten  Commandments. 
Mudge's  Memorial  of  ministerial  La- 
bour. 
Orme  on  the  Blasphemy  against  the 

Holy  Spirit. 
The  Christian  Year. 
Beechey's  Expedition  to  the  Coast  of 

Africa. 
Three  Years'  Residence  in  Italy. 
Payne's  Elements  of  mental  and  moral 

Science. 
Pringle's  Ephemerides. 
Bridse's  Exposition  of  Psalm  CXIX. 
Townley's  Reasons   of   the  Laws   of 

Moses. 
Taylor's  Process  of  historical  Proof. 
Le  Bas's  Considerations  on  Miracles. 
Wood's  Difficulties  of  the  Infidel. 
Craig's  Sermons  on  Practical  Subjects. 
'Biblical  Encvclopedia. 
Wardlaw,  Grinfield,  Taylor,  and  Bar- 
row, on  the  Criminality  of  Unbelief. 
Russell's    Connexion    of   Sacred     and 

Profane  History. 
Good's  Life  and  Writings. 
Marsh  on  Prophecy. 
Philips's  Researches  in  South  Africa. 
Course  of  Time. 
Dr.  Owen's  Dying  Thoughts. 
Benton's    Testimonies    of    the    Ante- 

Nicene  Fathers. 
Boothrovd's    Explanation    of     Psalm 

xxxvii.  25. 
One  of  Barrow's  Sermons. 
Smith  on  the  Sacrifice  and  Priesthood 

of  Christ. 
Dr.  Lardner's  Works. 
Moase's  Moral  Crea  ion. 
Lothian's  Expository  Letters. 
Leslie's  Vision  of  the  heavenly  World. 
Taylor  on  Historical  Proof. 
Arran,  a  Poem. 
Burder's  Lectures  on  Religion. 
Harp  of  Judah. 
Bickersteth  on  Jus'ifica'ion. 
Soame's  His'orv  of  the  Reformation. 
Thornton's  Fruits  of  the  Spirit. 
Ryland's  Pastoral  Memorial'.. 
Suggestions  for  visiting  the  Sick. 
Baron's  Devotional  Verses. 
Christian  Tablet. 
Salathiel. 

Wilson's  Evidences  of  Christianity. 
Walsh's  Jnuruev  from  Constantinople. 
Williams's  Life' of  Matthew  Henry. 
Farewell  to  Time. 
Thomson's  Davidica. 
Berthold's  New  Testaments. 
Watts's  Poe'ical  Album. 
Controversial   Points  between   Catho- 
lics and  Protes'an's. 
Cunninghame's  Second  Coming  of  the 
Messiah. 

unt's  Veracity  of  the  Evangelists. 
Le  Bas  on  Miracles. 
Russell's  English  and  Scotch  Reform- 
ers. 
Le  Bas's  Sermons. 
Maitland,  &c  on  the  1260  Years. 
Garbett's  Nullity  of  the  Roman  Faith. 
Creuser's  Religious  Symbols  of  Anti- 
quity. 
Mann's  Theological  Essays. 
Carpenter's  Scripture  Natural   Histo- 
ry- 


Poetry. 
Vale  of  Tears. 
Heaven. 

Christ  stilling  the  Tempest. 

Bell  at  Sea. 

Paschal  Morn. 

Messiah's  Advent 

Nunquam  non  paratns. 

Errors  of  the  true  Christian. 

Mercy  Seat. 

Est  consummatum. 

Midnight  Hymn. 

House  of  Prayer. 

To  some  hath  God  his  Word  addressed 

Heber's  Hymns. 

Angel  Visits. 

Thoughts  of  Heaven. 

Wakening. 

Sun  of  Righteousness. 

Faint,  yet  pursuing. 

The  Approval. 

Lessons  sweet  of  Spring  returning. 

Dying  Christian's  Anticipations. 

Frailty  and  Felicity. 

To  a  Sceptic. 

Time  grows  not  old. 

To  thee,  O  Lord  !  we  thus  draw  nigh. 

Christmas  Rose. 

Harp  of  David. 

O  Lord  !  where'er  thy  name,  &c. 

Paraphrase  on  Psalm  cxxxvii. 

For  whom  should  we  weep  ? 

Omnipresent. 

Omnipotent 

The  last  Christian. 

Reminiscences. 

To  a  night-blowing  Flower. 

An  Evening  Thought 

Bright  and  rapid  be  thy  Glance. 

Christian's  Triumph. 

Fair    Spirit,   tho'  Time's    unflagging 

Wing. 
An  Evening  Walk  in  Bengal. 
Love. 
Cain. 

Return  of  the  Vaudois. 
The  Refuge. 
Deliverance  of  Vienna. 
To  Hannah  More. 
Replenished  from  the  Stores  divine. 
Thy  Kingdom  come. 
Praise. 
God  is  Light 
The  Snowdrop. 
Italian  Epigram. 
Graves  of  Martyrs. 
Christ's  Entry  into  Jerusalem. 
*#*  These  Volumes,  in  addition  to  the  foregoing,  announce  several  hundred 
New  Works. 

Published,  every  month,  by  E.  Littell,  Philadelphia, 
at  Six  Dollars  a  Year. 


When  Christ  in  human  Nature  came. 

What  is  Truth? 

The  Stag. 

Joy. 

Hebrew  Hymn  for  the  Spring. 

He  beileth  the  broken  in  Heart 

To  Lady  I K 

Night. 

Where  is  now  thy  God  ? 

Morning  Hymn. 

Friends  of  my  Youth. 

Sunday  School  Hymn. 

To  a  Lady,  on  the  sudden  Decease  d 

her  Infant. 
Retrospect 
Evening  Hymn. 
Omniscience. 

Dark  is  the  Flow  of  Siloe's  Stream. 
Last  Night  of  1S27. 
Text  in  my  Album. 
Evening  Hymn. 
Evening  Star. 
The  Harmony. 
Thou  art  my  all. 
Our  Fathers,  where  are  they  ? 
Difficulty  of  sacred  Poetry. 
This  Mortal  must  put  on  Immortality 
With  an  Almanac. 
Midnight  Mourner. 
Unchanging  God. 
Watch. 

Churchyard  Scene. 
March  and  End  of  Life. 
Elijah  in  the  Cave  of  Horeb. 
For  these  I  weep. 
Imi'ation  of  Psalm  cxxx. 
Whence  conies  Truth? 
To  a  Lady  in  her  last  Illness. 
Why  hast  thou  forsaken  me  ? 
My  God,  I  love  to  meditate  on  thee. 
The  Sun  of  intellectual  Light 
Pilgrims'  Song  of  Expectation. 
M'>onIight 
~    "m  cxxvi. 
To  the  Evening  Star. 
Presumption  reproved. 
The  Christian. 
On  Sickness. 

Universal  Beautv  and  Glory  of  Religion. 
The  two  Voices'. 
Last  Plague  of  Egypt. 
Bridal  Greetings. 
Light  House. 
Man. 
Rainbow. 

Rebecca  parting  with  Jacob. 
Re-appearance  of  the  seventh  Pleiad. 


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